


The Reason Why I Smile

by KuroKitty (HaleYes)



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Bonus Chapter, Boys In Love, Caught in the Act, Comfort, Day One, Ereri Week, Ereri Week 2015, Falling In Love, Fireflies, First Love, Fluff, Friendship, I'm going to write more chapters to this, Levi's POV, Levi-centric (Shingeki no Kyojin), M/M, Mythology - Freeform, Pining, Soulmates, Storm - Freeform, Sweetness, because apparently I can't write a stand alone fic, because i love y'all, eren is a ball of energy, ereri week day five, ereri week day four, ereri week day seven, ereri week day six, ereri week day three, ereri week day two, kid Eren, kid levi, levi is a shy introvert, summer job, they're both 10 years old
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-01
Updated: 2015-06-09
Packaged: 2018-04-02 09:47:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 25,258
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4055476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HaleYes/pseuds/KuroKitty
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Levi had planned to spend his summer vacation before 5th grade reading and quietly doing chores outside at his uncle Kenny's house.  That is, until the boy with the most beautiful teal eyes Levi has ever seen moved in across the street and wanted to be his friend.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my submission for Ereri Week 2015, Day 1: Pining.
> 
> I hope you enjoy it. I came up with the concept at the last minute and wrote it before I went to sleep last night.
> 
> I was in the mood for some kid!Levi and kid!Eren fluffies.
> 
> Fic title inspired by Avril Lavigne's Smile.
> 
> Yo-u said "Hey,  
> What's your name?"  
> It took one look  
> And now we're not the same  
> Yeah you said "Hey."  
> And since that day  
> You stole my heart  
> And you're the one to blame  
> (Yeah)  
> And that's why I smile  
> It's been a while  
> Since every day and everything has  
> Felt this right  
> And now you turn it all around  
> And suddenly you're all I need  
> The reason why I-I-I  
> I smi-i-ile  
> The reason why I-I-I  
> I smi-i-ile

It was a Sunday morning, the day the boy with the bright teal eyes arrived at the vacant house across the street with the “Sold” sign in front of it. Levi was pulling weeds in the front lawn when the boy bounced out of the moving van and spun in circles through his new yard, stretching his legs and taking deep breaths of the fresh, early summer air. 

His energy captivated the introverted 10-year-old, he could barely remember the last time he had felt so carefree, but he knew it was before he had moved into the old Victorian with his uncle. He’d never danced or played in the lawn that he mowed and looked after as some of his chores. He had forgotten how to play sometime around when he stopped smiling. 

The boy with happiness in his eyes was just about his age and had a mother and a father, a bike, a dog. He had a picture perfect family and he was exactly that, prettier than any boy in any photograph Levi had ever seen. 

And when he ran across the street, leaping over the curb and the gardens into Levi’s uncle’s yard and held out a sweaty, slightly dirty hand, breathless and grinning wide, Levi’s heart skipped a beat. Why would any creature so beautiful, the personification of sunshine, say hello to him, the epitome of darkness and gloom? 

Levi had simply stared at him, unable to reply with words, say his own name. He hadn’t meant to be rude and when he saw those curious eyes examining him carefully, his stomach dropped and he introduced himself. He was promptly dragged across the street and introduced to Mr. and Mrs. Jaeger as Eren’s new friend. He was Levi’s first. 

He dragged a willing but overwhelmed Levi around, snapping and blowing bubbles with watermelon gum, showing him what was to be his new room, introducing him to his dog, asking the dark haired boy his input on what trees in the backyard he thought would be best for the tree house his father had promised to get him. He sat Levi down in the kitchen and told him with the enthusiasm of a Food Network Star hopeful how he was going to make him _the best snack he’d ever had_ … a peanut butter and strawberry jelly sandwich with banana slices and oatmeal cookies crumbled up inside of it. He was a ball of energy, his electrifying passion and intensity contagious and captivating. Levi thought he could listen to Eren explain how grass grew for hours. 

Eren insisted he had to come over and play again tomorrow, just as soon as he had his PS4 set up, once they had it all unpacked, and Levi had nodded silently, dumbfounded that a boy that could probably hang out with _anyone_ would consider spending even a few minutes with him. 

Levi’s heart didn’t stop racing for the remainder of the night, unable to think about anything but the boy across the street that wanted to _play_ with him. It had been so long since he had played, he hoped he could remember how so he didn’t bore the boy with enough excitement in his eyes for an entire fifth grade class. 

Throughout dinner, he had stolen looks out the front windows, hoping to catch a glimpse of Eren, to see him carrying a box or taking his dog, Titan, for a walk with his dad. His uncle had noticed he was distracted, but when pressed Levi simply stared down at the table, his cheeks glowing pink. 

The next morning Levi rushed through his breakfast and his chores, keeping an eye on the house across the street and his ear open for a knock on the door. He would be mortified if the boy with the friendliest eyes he’d ever seen showed up and his Uncle was the one to greet him. There was no telling what Kenny would say to embarrass him and scare away his friend, the pretty boy with the perfect smile that never seemed to fade. 

He showered and he put on his nicest clothes, the ones his mother had forced him to wear when she would drag him to church on Sunday mornings. Levi was grateful Kenny didn’t comment about how he was dressed, even though he knew that his uncle was just itching to. 

Levi brought a book with him to the bay window and sat on the bench, willing himself to hear the sound of gravel crunching beneath sneakers on the walkway up to the house. He couldn’t read, couldn’t focus. Kenny commented. Said that page Levi had been reading for the past 45 minutes must have been very interesting. He smirked at him. Levi had blushed furiously and hunched his shoulders, burying his face in his book and giving his uncle the silent treatment. 

He was still sitting on the bench, his eyes glued to the window when the sun began to set. The boy with so much acceptance for Levi in his eyes had never shown. Kenny asked him what he wanted for dinner and he shrugged. Kenny asked him to come to the table and eat with him and he sulked over. Kenny asked if he wanted to talk about it and he shook his head solemnly. 

Of course the boy with the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen didn’t want to play with him. 

His heart probably hadn’t felt like it would explode the day before when they had locked eyes. 

He surely hadn’t felt the electricity that Levi did when their sweaty hands were tangled together. 

He definitely didn’t memorize every detail of Levi’s face, the sound of his voice, the distinct way he smelled. 

He had most certainly found someone else to play with. Someone else that was all smiles and light. 

Someone much better than _him_. 

He pushed his dinner around his plate. He wasn’t hungry. There was a lump in his stomach the size of one of those big ass trees he’d seen on his last vacation to Trost National Park with his mother. 

Kenny watched him quietly. Offered to let him skip dinner and go straight to dessert. Levi declined. He stared at his food and red and blue lights flashed across his white porcelain plate. 

He looked to the window and saw a police car parked in front of the home of the blessed boy with so much spirit in his eyes. 

Levi leapt from the table and ran to the window, hands pressing against the glass and leaving marks. Two officers walked to the door and Mr. Jaeger answered. 

Mr. Jaeger fell to his knees. 

Levi turned to his uncle hovering over his shoulder, his eyes wide and his mouth hanging open in despair. 

Kenny told him not to jump to conclusions. Said maybe it wasn’t as bad as it looked. Avoided looking directly into Levi’s eyes, just as he had the day Levi came home from school and Kenny had told him that his mother had just passed from the cancer. 

Levi ran from the room, stomped up the stairs to his bedroom and slammed the door shut behind him. He crawled underneath his blankets and he sobbed. 

Eren was so beautiful, so kind, so _full of life_. 

Eren had wanted to be his friend. 

Eren had shared his sparkling smile with him. 

And Levi felt like someone had reached inside his chest and torn his heart out. 

Again. 

It wasn’t right and it wasn’t fair. 

He cried until the sun was just rising above the horizon and the birds had begun singing, blissfully unaware of the pain that humans had to withstand. He didn’t stop sobbing until his young body quit for him, too exhausted to do anything but sleep. 

Levi woke up to Kenny sitting at the foot of his bed, holding his fedora in his lap. He told Levi he had gone next door and talked to Mr. Jaeger. 

Levi bolted up right and grabbed his throbbing head. 

Mrs. Jaeger and Eren had been in a terrible car accident. Eren had been released from the hospital that morning, having only sustained minor injuries, but the car had been struck on the driver’s side and Mrs. Jaeger hadn’t made it. 

Levi got down from his bed and staggered to his dresser. He stared at his red eyed and swollen reflection, his wrinkled church button up and messy hair. He wiped his face and ran out of his room, down the stairs, jumping the last four of them and out the door. He leapt over the hedges and dashed across the street. 

Mr. Jaeger answered the door. He told Levi that Eren couldn’t come out to play today. 

Levi stopped the man before he shut the door. 

He found his voice. 

He told the man that his mom died. 

That if Eren needed to talk he was a good listener. 

To please tell Eren he had come by. 

That he was sorry. 

Mr. Jaeger had softened a bit at Levi’s admission and nodded, promising Levi he would relay the message to Eren. 

Levi walked home a lot more slowly than he had raced to the Jaeger’s. He looked behind him at Eren’s bedroom window. He knew his friend was hurting and he wished he could just sit beside him. He wanted to tell him he wasn’t alone. 

It was three days later when Levi saw Eren walking out of the house with his father, both males dressed in black suits. The boy’s teal eyes were dull and listless. Levi lurched away from the bay window, where he had stationed himself since he had spoken to Mr. Jaeger, and Kenny grabbed his arm. 

He told him not to interrupt. That they were going to the funeral and it was a bad time. That ‘his friend’ would come by when he was ready. 

He asked Levi if he remembered how he needed space after his mother had died. 

Levi sulked silently up the stairs to his bedroom after that question. 

He fell onto his bed, landing on his stomach, and he remembered how alone he had felt. How much he wanted to feel like someone still cared about him and loved him. How he had pushed everyone else away because he knew they really didn’t. 

He had stopped talking. 

He’d stopped smiling. 

He changed. 

Levi rolled onto his back and he thought about Eren’s eyes. Those magnificent eyes that had turned from summer to winter in a matter of days. 

Levi sat up, his chin set with determination. He would make those eyes sparkle again. He wouldn’t let Eren disappear. 

He ran down the stairs and asked Kenny for his allowance. The perplexed man handed him his usual five dollar bill and the boy darted outside and rode his bike into town. 

Five bucks wouldn’t buy much, but he wanted to give Eren a gift, something special so he knew that Levi cared. A Beanie Baby puppy that looked just like Eren’s dog caught his eye and grabbed it from the shelf, his heart skipping with excitement and satisfaction at having just enough money to buy it. 

There were cars lined up in front of the Jaeger house when he got home, friends and relatives coming by to pay their respects following the funeral. Levi had been through it all himself and his heart ached for Eren. He wished he could slip inside the house and take his hand, bring him to his house, to his room. Let him relax and be alone without well-meaning older relatives hugging him, talking his ear off, saying clichés that _just didn’t help_. 

He wanted to just sit with him. Be there so he wasn’t alone. 

If he cried, he would hug him, if he let him. If he wanted him to and if it would be OK. 

But he would never be like those family members that push it, that keep on talking, that are so terribly suffocating. 

He was disappointed when the last of the cars didn’t leave until late in the evening. It was well past 9 p.m., far too late for him to go and ring the bell at the Jaeger’s and give Eren his gift. 

Still, he felt compelled to give it to the other boy. And as he paced around his room, glancing out the window and wishing the light would turn on in Eren’s room, he had an idea. 

Kenny asked him where the hell he was going when he went for the front door at such an hour, but the way Levi had hissed that he would be right back had shut the older man up. 

His heart raced when he crossed through the Jaeger’s yard to Eren’s window. He was so close, Eren was just inside, he was sure of it, but he didn’t dare make a sound. He set the plush puppy on the boy’s window sill and he turned on his heels and dashed back home, running up the stairs like lightening before Kenny could ask him what he was up to. 

The next morning when Levi woke up, the first thing he did was look out his window at Eren’s room. The puppy was gone. Eren had found it. Levi almost smiled. 

That morning over breakfast, Levi told Kenny he needed an advance on his allowance. Kenny said he wasn’t usually one to pay up before services were rendered. Levi slammed his fork down and told Kenny he _knew_ Levi was good for it. 

Kenny bit back a laugh when he handed the angry boy with narrowed eyes a twenty dollar bill. 

Levi went back into town and selected four more Beanie Babies. 

That night when he went downstairs to complete his secret mission, Kenny merely gave him a nod. Levi nodded back and snuck over to the Jaeger’s. 

This time, Levi stuck a note beneath the plush Tiger. 

_I think you’re grrrrrreat._

He ran home and Kenny didn’t say a word when he shut the door behind him and hopped up the stairs two at a time. 

The following night, Levi left a snake. 

_You’re the bessssssst._

On the fourth night, Levi put a plush dinosaur on Eren’s window sill. 

_You are dino-mite._

On the fifth night, Eren’s window opened. 

Levi stood frozen in front of the boy with the twinkling, amused eyes. His mouth hung open at being caught and if his legs would cooperate with his brain he was sure he would be running. 

Eren leaned forward and gave Levi a small smile. 

“Where’s my Beanie Baby, Romeo?” 

Levi felt like his face was on fire and he pulled a porcupine from the front pocket of his hoodie and shoved it into Eren’s hands. 

“And the note?” 

Levi shifted his weight on his feet and huffed. He slapped the folded piece of paper on Eren’s window sill and the boy snatched it up and opened it. 

_I pine for you._

“Levi…” The boy with so much softness in his eyes said quietly, reaching out and grabbing the face of the dark haired boy that was staring at the ground. “I think you’re really sweet, and I ain’t lion.” 

Levi grinned bashfully, his ears turning red, and Eren pulled his face to his and pressed his sugary sweet lips delicately against the other boy’s. 

It was as though the whole world had stopped spinning. Like there was no more gravity to hold Levi to Earth. He couldn’t feel his knees and his heart pounded inside his chest. It was the most amazing thing he’d ever felt and he could barely believe that this beautiful boy was actually kissing _him_. 

Eren pulled back and grinned. “You’re so cute,” he mused, brushing a hand over Levi’s flushed cheek. “I was afraid you didn’t like me.” 

Levi blinked rapidly and a panicked look came across his face. 

“But, now I know you’re just a little quiet.” 

Levi reached up and took Eren’s hand into his own and squeezed it. He liked the boy with the warm teal eyes more than he ever thought he could put into the words. 

“Will you come inside and stay with me? Till I fall asleep? I’ve been having trouble lately and I don’t want to be alone… my dad isn’t doing so good and I can’t ask him to…” 

“I’ll do anything for you,” Levi blurted out, his eyes widening at his unexpected admission. 

Eren giggled and blushed, stepping back from the window to allow Levi room to crawl inside. It was still almost bare, all cardboard boxes and empty walls. But on the twin bed in the middle of the room with the Avengers comforter were all of the Beanie Babies that Levi had left for Eren. He had been sleeping with them. 

The brunette climbed into his bed and looked over at Levi, standing awkwardly beside it, twisting his hands. Levi had been wanting terribly to sit with Eren and give him comfort, but now he was there, in Eren’s _room_ , he had absolutely no idea what to do. 

“Well, aren’t you coming?” Eren asked, patting the sheets beside him. 

Levi toed off his shoes and shucked off his hoodie and dropped it onto a cardboard box. He crawled into the bed beside Eren and lay down stiffly on his back. The bed smelled strongly of the other boy, all oatmeal cookies and watermelon bubble gum and Levi’s heart _raced_. 

Eren scooted close to Levi and slung an arm around his waist and rested his head against his chest. Levi stared down at the boy’s head, frozen in shock. 

“You can put your arm around me, you know,” Eren said, nuzzling his face against Levi. “You’re my boyfriend now, aren’t you?” 

“YES,” Levi exclaimed with conviction. He shut his eyes and chastised himself. He was so bad at this. 

Eren snorted and giggled again, hugging Levi’s body. “Then cuddle with me, Romeo.” 

Levi carefully draped his arm over Eren’s shoulder. He was so soft and warm, just touching him made his heart leap. He pulled Eren a little closer to himself, giving his body a squeeze. 

“Thanks for making me smile again,” Eren whispered. “You made my heart not hurt so much.” 

“I know the feeling,” Levi whispered back, holding the other boy securely against himself. He had a reason to smile again, too. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is for day 2 of Ereri Week 2015: Summer Job

Levi was grateful for the slight breeze as he dropped to his knees with his gardening gloves and spade. He’d finished planting Impatiens in the shady areas of the backyard and now he was onto the gardens set in the front of Kenny’s old Victorian. He had put himself four weeks in the hole with his allowance from his uncle and he was determined to prove to the older man that his word was solid and he wouldn’t slack off after prematurely getting his money. 

It had been worth it though. Helping get Eren back to being the bright eyed boy Levi had known that had a smile that could stop traffic had been money well spent. He smiled to himself, something he had been doing a lot more since Eren had become his boyfriend, as he dug into the dirt the proper number of inches for planting flowers. 

He hadn’t been able to think about the brunette without a goofy grin appearing on his face and his stomach being overrun with butterflies. It made for some awkward moments with Kenny, having to slink out of the room so his uncle didn’t tease him or ask him why his ears were bright red and he was staring off into space. Sure, maybe last night he spent ten minutes cleaning the same patch of counter after dinner, but at least it was clean when he snapped out of it. 

And snap out of it he did, right then, when he felt something ice cold press against his neck. 

“Gyaaa!” Levi yelped, dropping his spade and a clump of flowers and springing to his feet. 

Before he even turned around he recognized Eren’s giggles, and when he laid his eyes on the boy with a playful look in his eyes he couldn’t help but smile back. 

“What was that for?” Levi asked, pulling off his glove and touching the back of his neck. “That was cold, you know!” 

“Oh chill out,” Eren sassed, grinning at Levi. “ _Chill out_ , get it? I know how much you love puns…” 

“You’re _hilarious_ ,” Levi said, trying his best to hide his smile and look annoyed, even though he was absolutely _thrilled_ to see Eren in the first place. 

“Mmm, and I brought you lemonade,” Eren said, holding out an ice cold red solo cup to Levi. His expression had changed like magic from devious to angelic and Levi reached out for the cup, entranced. 

“Thanks,” He said, taking a long drink of what had no doubt been pressed against his neck moments earlier and scared him out of his skin. “It’s really good.” 

“Of course it is,” Eren said as though it was the most obvious conclusion on earth. “ _I_ made it.” 

“Of course,” Levi smirked, recalling the variety of _unique_ snacks Eren had already made for him. 

“We should go ride bikes!” Eren suggested, his eyes widening as though the idea had just exploded inside of his head and couldn’t be contained. 

“I can’t,” Levi mumbled, glancing down at all of the flowers left to be planted. “I promised my uncle I’d get all these planted this afternoon and I took an advance on my allowance. I kind of have to finish…” 

“OK, then I’ll help you!” Eren chirped, clasping his hands together as though the novelty of helping with yard work was on par with bike riding for him. “You’ll get done faster with another set of hands, right?” 

“Are you… are you sure?” Levi asked, bending down to pick up his spade. “You don’t have to…” 

“Levi!” Eren flopped down onto his knees next to the garden. “I just wanna hang out with you. I don’t care. Come on, what do you need me to do?” 

Levi knelt down, a shiver running up his spine in spite of the summer heat. There wasn’t anyone else he’d rather be spending his afternoon with either and it meant the world to the boy that Eren didn’t mind helping him with his chores. He explained the process to Eren, how deep to dig for each flower and what the spacing should be. He slipped off his gloves and handed them to Eren, along with the spade. 

“I’ve only got one set, so, here…” He said, looking up at Eren through his thick, black eyelashes. “So your hands don’t get dirty.” 

“I don’t care about a little dirt, you can keep them,” Eren said, pushing them back into Levi’s hands and shoving his hands into the earth. Levi watched the other boy, his mouth gaping while Eren dug a hole into the ground with just a bare, cupped hand. He’d never been a fan of getting messy and Eren was so nonchalant about it. 

“I’m guessing you didn’t make mud pies when you were little, huh?” Eren asked, grabbing a flower and sticking it into the hole, moving twice as fast as Levi did because he paid no mind to precision. 

“Mud pies?” Levi asked, earning him an incredulous look from Eren. 

The brunette snickered and wiped a dirty hand across his sweaty forehead, leaving a streak behind. “Don’t worry, I won’t make you any…” 

Levi laughed and Eren laughed along with him, grinning at him as he dug through the dirt and shoved flowers rather crookedly into the holes. Levi knew he was a little uptight, but Eren had a way of loosening him up like no one else ever did. They made their way through the garden, planting a variety of flowers, Levi in quiet concentration with a warm feeling in his stomach. Just being near Eren felt nice. 

“Dear future husband,” Eren sang softly but passionately, smushing his hands into the dirt. Levi stared at the other boy, mystified by his voice and confused. 

“Here’s a few things you’ll need to know if…” Eren glanced over at Levi, a twisted little smile crossing his lips at having Levi’s undivided attention. “You wanna be… my one and only… all of my life…” 

“Take me on a date, I deserve it babe,” Eren sang more loudly, shimmying his shoulders back and forth. “And don’t forget the flowers every anniversary!” He winked at Levi and shoved another plant into the ground. “Cause if you treat me right, I’ll be the perfect wife, buying groceries buy-buying what you need.” 

Eren bopped his head back and forth and Levi continued to watch him, absolutely captivated, blood rushing to his face and turning his cheeks pink and his ears red again. 

“You got that nine to five,” Eren sang and raised a dirty, mud-caked thumb to his chest, “but baby so do I! So don’t be thinkin’ I’ll be home and bakin’ mud pies! I never learned to cook, but I can write a hook,” Eren clapped his hands, dust flying everywhere much to his glee, “Sing along with me, hey, sing along with me!” 

Eren put his hands in front of himself, crawling a bit toward Levi and then popping up suddenly to his feet, Levi’s head snapping to follow him with his eyes in silence. “You gotta know how to treat me like a lady,” Eren sang, hopping up and down and shaking his dirty hands in front of him, his fingers pointed to the ground and bouncing along with his body. “Even when I’m acting crazy, tell me everything’s alright.” 

Levi’s mouth slowly fell open as Eren’s hips swayed side to side and the other boy threw his arms up into the air, waving them back and forth, his eyes shut as he sang to Levi with a level of passion only Eren could muster. “Dear future husband, here’s a few things you’ll need to know if you wanna be my one and only all my life. Dear future husband, if you wanna get that special lovin’, tell me that I’m beautiful each and every night!” 

Levi was so bewitched by the boy dancing and singing his heart out in front of him, covered in dirt, he didn’t notice that his uncle had come outside and was standing on the porch, watching the show. Levi jumped when Kenny cleared his throat to signify his presence and stood frozen in place, absolutely _mortified_. 

“Oh hi, Mr. Ackerman!” Eren said cheerfully, panting a bit as he caught his breath, completely unfazed. “We just got done planting your flowers! Didn’t we do an awesome job?” 

Kenny glanced over at the garden, raising an eyebrow at how two thirds of the flowers were crooked and messy. “I see, I guess you had a little help, huh Levi,” he teased, looking over at his beet red nephew that wanted to disappear. 

“Um,” Levi stammered, looking at the garden, then his uncle. 

“He sure did!” Eren chimed in proudly, smiling brightly at Kenny. “Hey, Mr. Ackerman, can I sleep over tonight?” 

Levi’s head snapped over to Eren and he felt like he was shrinking. He and Eren hadn’t even talked about… 

“I don’t see why not,” Kenny said thoughtfully, watching Levi carefully. “You’ll need to help out with the dishes though and go to bed at a reasonable hour.” 

“No problem!” Eren exclaimed, beaming at Levi who simply gaped at Kenny. Levi was sure Kenny was just allowing this so he could tease Levi about Eren for the rest of his life. 

But, Levi wasn’t sure if he minded that, if it meant that Eren was going to be spending the night at his house. 

“Make sure you water the flowers, Levi,” Kenny said nonchalantly, turning back toward the house. 

Levi nodded lamely and stared at Eren. He was excited and nervous all at once, thinking about the other boy spending the whole night _in his room_. 

Eren dashed over to the side of the house and grabbed the hose, spraying over the flowers they had just planted, making grooves in the mud where he held the trigger too hard and making water pour over the sides of the stone edges. Levi was too polite to say anything, he didn’t dare insult Eren who looked so darn _happy_ to be helping and making little rivers through the yard. He would fix it up after Eren went home the next day. 

“What the?!?” Levi cried out when the icy water from the hose shot him in the back. Eren was giggling maniacally, squirting him as he held up his hands. 

“You better run,” he shouted in a playful, pseudo-menacing tone. 

Levi spun and stumbled away from Eren, his wet jeans weighing him down as Eren chased after him, shrieking and firing the hose at him. Levi bolted around the house, escaping Eren when the other boy reached the limit of how far his weapon could reach. Levi grabbed the hose on the other side of the house and snuck back around the front quietly, creeping slowly so Eren wouldn’t hear him. When he got close enough, he pulled on the nozzle’s trigger full force, nailing Eren in the back. 

Eren screamed and turned around, his eyes and smile wild as he charged directly toward Levi, spraying him back as he laughed and tried to jump away. 

When they finally called a truce they were soaked and out of breath, panting as they stared at each other, their clothes streaked with mud and their hair stuck to their foreheads. 

“I better go home and get changed before dinner, get my stuff,” Eren said, breathing heavily and holding his stomach that had cramped up from so much laughing and running. 

“Wait,” Levi said, walking over to the soggy garden and picking one of the flowers from it. He rolled the stem between his fingers and walked shyly back to Eren, sticking the white flower behind his ear. “You said I’m supposed to give you flowers, right?” 

Levi looked away then, over his shoulder and down at the ground. He could feel Eren’s eyes on him and he considered shouting goodbye and running, he felt so self conscious. 

Eren grabbed onto his face with his wet, muddy hands and plastered a sloppy kiss on his lips. 

“Oh Romeo, you’re so cute,” he gushed with a brilliant grin. “I have the best future husband ever.” 

Eren slid his hand over Levi’s cheek and ran away, shouting over his shoulder that he’d be back soon and not to miss him too much. Levi drew his hand to his face, watching the water logged boy race home until he shut the door to his house behind him. 

Levi did his best to avoid Kenny, who was standing rather suspiciously near the window when Levi came back inside, and he trudged upstairs to take a shower and wash off all of the muck. He got dressed in the new blue T-shirt he had begged Kenny to buy him the last time he dragged him out to the store. Eren had told him he looked nice in blue, it brought out his eyes. Levi had never been one to care so much about clothing, going along with whatever his mother had picked out for him or his grandmother had sent at holidays. Kenny had been a bit taken aback by Levi’s insistence but had ultimately caved and bought the shirt for the boy who had left the store looking triumphant and determined. 

When Levi opened his bedroom door after getting dressed so he could go downstairs and wait for Eren, he was surprised to see Kenny standing there waiting for him. 

“Hey Levi, I think maybe we should have a talk,” Kenny said evenly, biting back an awkward smile. 

“I don’t,” Levi said curtly, pushing past him into the hall. 

Kenny sighed and rubbed his eyes. “I think I’m supposed to talk to you about Eren. I’m not good with this parental shit, but Kuchel would want me to…” 

“No,” Levi interrupted, clomping down the wooden stairs. 

“It’s nothing to be embarrassed about,” Kenny mumbled, a hint of embarrassment in his own voice. “It’s completely normal to start… you know… liking…” 

Levi turned around, looking his uncle squarely in the eyes. “I know. I’m not embarrassed of him. We don’t need to do… whatever this is.” Levi waved his hand back and forth between them. “ _This_ is embarrassing and weird.” 

“Yeah,” Kenny nodded, letting out a breath he’d been holding, a look of relief on his face. “You got it.” 

Although Levi had been watching out the window for Eren and was on his way to the door to let him in, Eren signaled his arrival by ringing the doorbell three times and then knocking. When Levi opened the door he flashed him one of his trademark smiles and wrapped his arms around his neck, pulling him into a tight hug. 

“I brought my Wii U,” he announced with excitement, thumbing toward the backpack slung over his shoulder. 

Levi’s eyes lit up and he grabbed Eren’s hand, pulling him with him to the stairs. Although he had a TV in his room, Kenny had let him have it when he first moved in, he’d never had any video game consoles of his own. His mother hadn’t been able to afford such expensive toys and Levi didn’t ask for them, not wanting to put any extra pressure on his sick mother. 

Dinner that night was different than typical meals at the Ackerman home. While Kenny and Levi usually ate in silence, only talking when there was something specific to be discussed, that wasn’t the case with Eren sitting at the table with them. The boy with the energetic eyes talked about everything under the sun to Levi and his uncle, engaging Kenny in passionate, animated conversations about the family of squirrels he and his dad had found living in their attic and giving him a detailed verbal blueprint of the elaborate tree house they were building in the backyard. 

Kenny was amused and entertained by the tiny brunette, nodding along and asking him questions about each of the topics he brought up. Levi was mostly quiet, enjoying simply listening to Eren tell stories and talk around his mouthful of cheeseburger. 

Washing dishes with Eren was fun, even if less effective. He managed to make new messes while he cleaned up old ones, dripping dish water onto the floor and going through an impressive amount of dish towels that would need to be laundered later. Even still, Levi wouldn’t have traded Eren’s company for precision. When the other boy was with him he felt alive for the first time since he’d lost his mother. 

Eren had taken the loss of his own mother differently than Levi had. Where Levi had gotten quiet and withdrawn, Eren had managed to maintain his bright personality, at least during the day and when other people were around. 

It was only at night, only sometimes, that Eren would cry. 

Levi would slip out of the house each night after dark to visit Eren at his window and kiss the other boy goodnight. Sometimes he would go back home, promises of playing with Eren the following day filling his mind with excitement and anticipation. Other nights, Eren would take his hand and ask him to come inside, just for a little while, until he fell asleep. 

Levi would crawl into Eren’s bed and the other boy would hold onto him and cry. It was when Eren was at his quietest, letting his body release all of the pain and grief into Levi’s chest. 

And Levi would hold him tight while he shook in his arms, petting his bunny soft hair, unwilling to let go until the sobs had subsided. Neither boy needed to say a word, they both knew that the other one understood like no one else could, and that they weren’t alone with their pain. 

Kenny didn’t say anything those nights when Levi came back inside later, simply looking away from the evening news or late show on TV to give the boy a nod of acknowledgement before Levi made his way upstairs to his bedroom. 

Levi was relieved that Eren was spending the night at his house. The truth was that he always felt a bit guilty when he left the other boy’s home after he had fallen asleep. Like he was abandoning him and should be staying there with him. He wanted terribly to be a good boyfriend, a good _friend_ to Eren, and he knew that as long as he was by his side he could protect him and make the emptiness he knew the other boy felt just a little bit less. 

They sat in Levi’s room, on the sleeping bag Kenny had laid out on the floor for Eren, eating popcorn – and occasionally tossing it at each other – and playing Mario Party. It was the first time Levi’s bedroom had echoed with laughter, the sparse space taking on a completely different feel now that Eren was in there. 

When Kenny said it was time to get dressed for bed, Eren opened up his backpack full of video games and announced he had forgotten to bring pajamas. Levi offered him a pair of his own, which Eren was eager to accept, a T-shirt and shorts set printed with dinosaurs. Levi wore the same style himself, printed with sharks, and he watched with wonder while Eren stared at himself in the mirror. 

The boy with so much adoration in his eyes proclaimed that he loved them, hugging himself and then Levi. 

“They’re just pajamas,” Levi said quietly, confused by Eren’s reaction. 

“But they’re _yours_ ,” Eren told him as though it should have been obvious why he liked them so much. 

“You can keep them if you want to,” Levi offered bashfully, pink creeping up his cheeks. 

“I could trade you for a pair of mine! Do you wanna?” Eren was absolutely beaming, thrilled with himself at coming up with such a suggestion. 

Levi nodded, his stomach warming at the thought of sleeping in Eren’s pajamas, knowing they would smell like watermelon bubble gum and oatmeal cookies. 

Kenny came upstairs to tell them it was time for lights out and Levi climbed into his bed and Eren into the sleeping bag. Kenny said goodnight and turned off the lights, shutting the door behind him and heading back downstairs. 

He wasn’t gone for more than a minute before Eren slipped out of the sleeping back and into Levi’s bed. 

“What are you…” Levi asked, confused. 

“You don’t actually want me to sleep on the floor, do you?” Eren wrapped his arms around Levi’s body and stared at him with big, questioning eyes. 

“No,” Levi whispered, putting his own arms around Eren and pulling his warm body close. There was nothing in the world that compared to being so close to Eren. It made him feel like there was electricity running through his body. 

“Hey Levi?” Eren asked after a few minutes of silence. “We’re gonna get married, right?” 

“Of course,” Levi assured him, not even a doubt in his mind. “You’re the only person ever that doesn’t bother me. I like being with you.” 

“Good,” Eren said with pleased satisfaction, snuggling his face into Levi’s chest. “You know, when we get married, we’ll be able to stay up all night playing Wii. And we can eat pizza every night if we want to. And be really loud and watch anything we want on TV.” 

Levi dragged his fingers up and down Eren’s back and smiled in the moonlit room. It would be _amazing_ to have his own house with Eren where they could do whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted. “That’ll be awesome,” he said quietly, brushing his nose into Eren’s hair and shutting his eyes. 

“And you know what’ll be the best part?” Eren asked, fingers clutching and releasing the back of Levi’s pajama shirt. 

“Hmm?” 

“Being able to sleep with you like this every night,” Eren whispered, pressing a kiss against Levi’s chest and closing his eyes, his body relaxing against Levi’s. 

“You’re right,” Levi agreed, hugging Eren close to him, his heart fluttering. The only thing that could possibly be better than having Eren fall asleep in his arms would be having him wake up in them. And lucky for Levi, he would know that feeling in the morning. 

The boys fell asleep together, tangled in each others arms, like non-identical twins in nearly matching pajamas. They were in such a deep, comfortable sleep that neither of them stirred when Kenny opened the door to check in on them before he went to bed himself. The older man watched them for a few moments, taking in the lazy, twitching smile on his nephew’s face and shut the door silently as he went to his own bedroom, smiling now himself. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I've decided to try to continue this story with some of the Ereri Week prompts. I don't know that I'm going to use all of them (I don't know anything about Mythology, so that one might be out unless I can learn something quickly lol), but I thought this would be a cool way to use them and continue on with the kid!ereri fic since so many people wanted me to!
> 
> Please, please don't give me a hard time over the song? Please? I know a lot of people hate that song, but they're 10 and I thought it would be fitting and cute.
> 
> Thanks for reading! <3


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my contribution to Ereri Week 2015 Day 3: Caught/Caught in the Act
> 
> I hope you like it!

“I need more money.” 

“Levi, you still _owe me_ ten dollars,” Kenny sighed, crossing his arms and looking down at the small, demanding boy that had a look on his face that meant business. 

“That means I paid you half back already, just like I said I would,” Levi pointed out shrewdly. “I need another advance on my allowance.” 

“How much?” Kenny asked, sitting down in his favorite chair. 

“Twenty dollars.” 

“Having a boyfriend is expensive these days, huh?” Kenny winked at his glaring, red faced nephew. Levi was easy to tease and fell for it every time. 

“You know what, forget it,” Levi grumbled, turning and stalking towards the stairs. 

“Oh, come on, I was only messing with you,” Kenny groaned, standing up and pulling out his wallet. “Do I at least get to know what my money is going toward?” 

Levi snatched the twenty dollar bill from his uncle’s hand and stuffed it into the front pocket of his shorts. “Nope. It’s my money now.” 

Kenny chuckled, putting his hand on Levi’s head and giving him a playful shove. “You little shit.” 

Levi had been racking his brain for a way to take Eren on a real date, just like he’d suggested a good boyfriend and future husband would do. He’d been at a loss until two days earlier when he had been staring across the kitchen at the wall calendar and realized it was nearly the Fourth of July. He had dropped his spoon with a clang into his bowl of Cheerios when it hit him how perfect it would be to bring Eren to see the fireworks with him at the lake. With a little creativity, he was certain he could make it into a really special day, one that Eren would love. 

He had asked Kenny to add a few unusual items to the grocery list, strawberry jelly and oatmeal cookies for starters, wanting to make sure he had all of the ingredients to make a picnic lunch that Eren would approve of. He stuck two sandwiches into a brown bag, along with juice boxes and a bag of grapes, folding the top of it shut neatly. He grabbed a blanket and waved to his uncle on his way out the door. He promised he’d be home sometime after the fireworks and Kenny told him to have a good time and stay out of trouble, earning an eye roll from Levi. 

Levi took a deep breath and knocked on the door, shutting his eyes and hoping if he wished hard enough, Eren would be the one to answer. Maybe it would give him a few extra minutes to work up his nerve. Of course, Levi wasn’t so lucky, and he was left standing awkwardly on the porch in front of Grisha, the toes of his feet turning inward. 

“Mr. Jaeger, um,” Levi stammered, looking down at the ground. 

“Yes?” Grisha looked down at the boy, puzzled. 

“I wanted to ask you, you know, about Eren…” 

“If he can play?” Grisha asked, interrupting the boy that had trailed off and tilting his head, trying to figure out why the kid looked like he had just been sent to the principal’s office. 

“No, not exactly, um, I wanted to… uh, take him on a date, Sir.” Levi snapped his head up, looking Eren’s father straight in the eyes, though his own were wide and unblinking. 

“A _date_?” Grisha repeated, his face a muddled mess of confusion, amusement and uncertainty. “You want to take _Eren_ on a _date_? Why…?” 

Levi swallowed and pushed his shoulders back. “Because he’s my boyfriend and he told me that’s what good boyfriends do. He said I should take him on a date. But, I wanted to ask your permission first, Mr. Jaeger.” 

“Oh,” Grisha nodded, waving his arm out in front of him and then pulling off his glasses and rubbing his forehead. “Of course. Eren told you to take him on a date.” Grisha sighed and looked up at the sky. “And you _want_ to do this, take him on a date?” 

Levi nodded rapidly, shuffling the blanket and brown paper bag he was holding with his left arm and hand. 

Grisha appeared to be conflicted between being angry and laughing, pacing in front of the doorway and staring at the small boy in front of him like he truly didn’t know what to do with him. He eventually pulled a hand through his hair and put his glasses back on, calling over his shoulder for his son. 

Levi could hear Eren running through the house after his dad had called him, sounding more like a loose rhinoceros on a rampage than a 10-year-old boy, and Levi smirked to himself. Eren had the ability to be so many things, graceful and fluid and then rough and tumble. He truly fascinated Levi like no one else ever had. 

“Hey!” Eren shouted to him, pushing past his father with a bright smile. 

Levi’s face lit up when he saw the brunette and his ears turned red. “Hey,” he said quietly, his head tilting as he stared at the other boy. 

“Apparently,” Grisha started, looking back and forth between the two boys staring at each other, “Levi is here to take you on a _date_?” 

Eren’s jaw dropped, his smile huge and eyes wide with excitement. “Really?” Eren squealed, bouncing on his feet. 

“I don’t know why it would be such a surprise to you,” Grisha said, leaning against the door frame and leveling a no nonsense look at his son. “Did you really put him up to this, Eren?” 

“Dad!” Eren spun to look at his father and crossed his arms over his chest. “He’s my _boyfriend_ , he’s _supposed_ to take me on dates. God.” 

“Don’t you think you’re a little young to be… _dating_?” Grisha asked, crossing his arms right back at Eren and biting back a smile. 

“Tsk,” Eren rolled his eyes. “No. I’m really mature for my age and so is Levi. _Right_ Levi?” 

Levi nodded silently, shifting his weight back and forth on his feet. 

“Well, then I guess I’ll have to give you my blessing, Levi,” Grisha said, watching the boy fidgeting awkwardly. “But, if you break my son’s heart, I’ll break _you_.” 

“Dad!” Eren gasped, slugging his father in the arm and making the older man jump. “Don’t threaten my boyfriend!” 

“That’s my job, I’m you’re father,” Grisha said, rubbing his arm. “And don’t hit me.” 

Eren stepped out of the house and looped his arm though Levi’s, giving his dumbstruck father a very stern look. “No, your job is to be _nice_ to my future husband. He’s practically family!” 

“Oh!” Grisha turned around, putting a hand over his mouth to hide his laughter. When he regained control he turned around to two incredibly serious boys staring at him, which nearly caused him to lose it again. “Of course, I’m sorry, Levi.” 

Levi shrugged his shoulders and Eren smiled triumphantly. “So, are we going, Levi?” 

Levi nodded and held out his hand to Grisha, shaking it _very_ firmly when Eren’s father grasped it. “Thank you, Mr. Jaeger. I’ll bring Eren home after the fireworks.” 

Grisha told the boys to have fun and reminded Eren – more like _begged_ Eren – to stay out of trouble, and the two of them left and made their way toward the lake. Every year the town set off fireworks on the side of the lake opposite from their neighborhood, which was more populated and less rural, but it was perfectly possible to watch them from the secluded spot that Levi was bringing them to. Even better, they were able to avoid the crowds of people that would be loud and stand in front of them. 

Eren was uncharacteristically quiet while they walked together, past the small businesses on main street and toward the lake. Levi would occasionally steal a look at the other boy and catch him smiling with a dreamy look in his eyes. It made Levi’s chest puff with pride, knowing his first date was already a success. 

They picked a grassy spot near the lake, just at the edge of one of the forests that lead up into the mountains, and Levi laid the blanket out for them. Eren stood by watching him, looking so pleased that Levi couldn’t help but grin while he set everything up. 

Levi confessed he’d never been on a picnic before and he hoped he had gotten everything right and Eren assured him that it was already perfect. When Eren bit into his peanut butter and strawberry jelly with bananas and oatmeal cookie crumble sandwich, his face softened in such a beautiful way that Levi’s stomach did somersaults. 

He swallowed, watching Eren eat, captivated by just how pretty he was, with his big teal eyes sparkling in the late afternoon sun. He could never get tired of looking at him and knew that the next time he passed a wishing well or had a birthday cake, he’d be asking for Eren to never get bored of him. 

Everything Eren did was beautiful and Levi was enraptured. The way his little pink tongue would dart out to lick strawberry jelly off his lips and how he sucked on his fingers to get off any remnants of peanut butter made Levi’s heart pound. Whereas Levi would normally be disgusted by a sloppy, messy eater, when it came to Eren it was different. It was endearing. It only made Levi like him more. 

After they finished their sandwiches, Levi pulled out the bag of grapes. 

“Feed me!” Eren insisted, kneeling in front of him. 

“Um,” Levi paused, confused, glancing down at the bag and the boy in front of him with his mouth hanging open. “Er… OK…” Levi pulled out a purple grape and leaned in toward Eren, slipping it into his mouth. Eren’s cheeks turned pink and he snorted and giggled while he chewed the grape, delight in his eyes. 

“Oh Romeo, I meant to toss one at my mouth and I would catch it, but that was _so cute_!” 

“Oh,” Levi mumbled, ears turning red and dropping his eyes down to the blanket. 

Eren caught his face and pressed a sticky kiss to his lips, still tasting of strawberry jelly and peanut butter. “Don’t be like that. It was sweet. _You’re_ sweet.” 

Levi was a bit dazed, eyes lidded as he stared at the boy that just kissed him. The sun was just beginning to set over Eren’s back and his brown hair had a golden glow around the edges. He looked like an angel hovering over him and for a moment, Levi stopped breathing. Even before his mother had gotten sick, he hadn’t gotten along well with other kids. His mom had said it was because he was an old soul, his interests so different from the other children his age. He had been content to sit beside his mother on their loveseat or alone in his room and read or draw. Running around screaming and making messes hadn’t had any appeal to him. Other kids had found him boring and uptight, mistook the way he observed instead hollered over everyone as rudeness and snobbery. 

It made no sense to him at all that this beautiful boy that was bursting at the seams with energy and light would want anything to do with him. 

But, there he was, staring back at Levi with a level of warmth in his eyes that the boy had never seen, not even from his mom. Waiting for him to say something, collect himself, throw a grape at him. 

“You’re the prettiest person in the whole world,” Levi whispered and Eren’s nose and eyes crinkled as he smiled back at him. “I don’t know why you like hanging out with me, but I hope you don’t ever quit.” 

“Levi,” Eren said softly, giggling. “I’m gonna marry you, you’re the sweetest boy ever and being with you is the best.” Eren grabbed a grape from the bag and stuffed it into Levi’s mouth. “Stop worrying so much.” 

Levi grinned and pulled a grape from the bag and raising an eyebrow, tossing it to Eren who managed to catch it in his mouth. The boys took turns, tossing grapes to each other, some bouncing off their foreheads, a few being pegged at Levi _just for fun_ by Eren until they had run out of fruit and were laying on the blanket, Levi on his back and Eren on his stomach. 

Levi was relaxing on his back when Eren dug into his pocket, pulling out threads in a half finished chevron pattern. 

“What’s that?” Levi asked, turning his head to the brunette who was untangling strings. 

“When you came over earlier, I was working on friendship bracelets for us,” Eren explained, somewhat distracted by pulling the strings apart from each other. “See, they’ll both have blue and green stripes, and yours will also have a black stripe and mine has a white stripe.” He waved his wrist in front of Levi and he noticed the bracelet hanging from it. 

“Wow, you made that?” Levi ran the tip of his finger over Eren’s bracelet, impressed by how professional it looked. “It’s really, really good, Eren.” 

“Thanks,” the boy said proudly, handing the finished end of the one with black thread to Levi. “If you hold this for me, I can finish it for you. Then we can both wear them.” 

“Yeah, sure,” Levi said, taking the end of the strings and holding it between his fingers. Eren stayed on his belly, weaving and knotting the threads, his eyebrows furrowed in deep concentration as he worked. His legs kicked in the air behind him and occasionally his tongue would stick out the corner of his mouth in thought. 

Eren never stopped surprising Levi, who watched him with amused satisfaction. Until this very moment, he had no idea that Eren could be so focused on a task, working with careful precision and aiming for perfection. There was something so _special_ about the boy with determination and pride in his eyes, something Levi had never seen in any other person. And when he was with him, when he simply _thought_ about him – which seemed to be almost all of the time now – he felt so warm, comfortable and happy. 

It was nearly dark by the time Eren finished the bracelet, and he tied it onto Levi’s left wrist – Eren’s was on his right – and Levi _tingled_ all over while Eren’s finger tips brushed over the sensitive skin on the underside of his wrist. He breathed rapidly, eyes blown out and his body frozen. The feeling was new, unique and addicting. He didn’t want Eren to stop, but he didn’t know why or how to express it. 

“There!” Eren beamed with satisfaction, putting his own wrist next to Levi’s. “Now everyone will know we’re best friends,” he explained, his voice taking on a serious tone, as though the world knowing this information was of the utmost importance. 

“I love it,” Levi said sincerely, pulling it around his wrist. It felt so good to have something Eren made for him and to be able to wear it and have it with him all the time. He swallowed nervously and lightly touched his hand to Eren’s cheek, leaning in and kissing him gently. It was the first time Levi had initiated a kiss between them, Eren always confident enough to take the lead and Levi along for the ride. But, this time, Levi couldn’t wait for Eren to decide to kiss him again. He needed to show him how he felt, that he appreciated his gift, that he _loved_ being his boyfriend. 

Eren jumped when Levi’s lips first touched his own, unprepared for the other boy who had been so timid to do something so bold. He melted into the kiss, reaching over and grasping onto Levi’s hand as the first of the fireworks began to light up the summer sky. 

Levi pulled back then, watching the bursts of light reflected in Eren’s eyes, his stomach knotting up and his palms sweating. He didn’t know what to say, what any of this was or what was happening to him. The corner of Eren’s lip twitched up into a smile and he gave Levi’s hand a squeeze and looked up at the sky. It took Levi several minutes before he cold take his eyes off of Eren and do the same. 

And when Eren lamented that he should have brought a hoodie with him, Levi put his arm around him and pulled him close. Eren sighed and leaned against Levi’s body, resting his head on his shoulder and putting his own arm around his boyfriend’s back. 

Levi hated that they had to move when the fireworks had ended, knowing that Eren’s dad and his uncle would be expecting them soon and not wanting to push it, since it was already so late. It just felt so nice to be sitting there, holding _his boyfriend_ and keeping him warm. He couldn’t quite place the emotion he was feeling, but it made him feel like he could do just about anything. 

On their way home, Levi surprised Eren and brought him to the window of the ice cream parlor, telling him to pick whatever he wanted and earning a kiss on the cheek from the boy that he wanted nothing more than to please. 

They held hands, walking back to their street and eating their ice cream cones, Eren talking about Mario Kart and Adventure Time while Levi listened and occasionally shared a thought or asked a question. 

Grisha was waiting on the front porch for Eren and Levi couldn’t help but feel disappointed, not quite ready to say goodbye to Eren yet and certainly not in front of his father. 

“Come back in an hour,” Eren whispered to him as they approached the house and Levi nodded. He wasn’t sure he would be able to fall asleep if he didn’t say goodnight to Eren properly. 

He waved to Mr. Jaeger and went home, glad that his uncle wasn’t waiting outside for him but was instead in his armchair watching TV. 

“You kids have a good time?” He asked, cracking open a beer, his feet crossed on the ottoman in front of him. 

“Yeah,” Levi said, running his fingers over his friendship bracelet. He already missed Eren. 

“Where’s the blanket?” Kenny asked, looking over at his daydreaming nephew with a raised eyebrow and amused smirk. 

“Oh, um…” Levi stammered, looking over his shoulder and suddenly realizing he had been so distracted with Eren that he had left it at the lake. “Crap, I’m sorry… I can go back…” 

“Don’t worry about it,” Kenny shrugged, waving his hand. “It’s just an old blanket.” 

Levi let out a relieved breath and flopped down on the couch, attempting to watch TV with his uncle but ultimately just staring at the clock. Once an hour had finally passed – which had seemed like eternity to Levi – he sprung up from the couch and walked toward the front door. 

“Where you going buddy?” Kenny asked, glancing at the clock. “Didn’t you already say goodnight?” 

“Mr. Jaeger was waiting outside for Eren and…” Levi paused and then thought better of going into any more detail. “No, I didn’t.” 

Kenny brought his fist to his mouth covering up a chuckle with a cough. “OK then, go on.” 

Levi bolted out the door and ran toward Eren’s window, so desperate to see the other boy again that he felt _anxious_. The other boy was waiting for him when he arrived, breathing heavily and clutching the window sill with relief. God, he had _missed him_. 

Eren asked him to come inside and he nodded, climbing through the window into his bedroom. He wanted to be with Eren so much that he was thrilled the brunette hadn’t just pulled him into a kiss and said goodnight. He _needed_ to curl up against Eren tonight, for reasons he couldn’t explain and didn’t really understand. 

And when he climbed into the other boy’s bed and Eren wiggled close to him until his back pressed against Levi’s chest, he said something Levi hadn’t been expecting. 

“Will you stay tonight?” Eren whispered, vulnerability in his voice that Levi only ever heard when they were alone in the dark. 

“Yes,” Levi said without any thought to it, wrapping his arm around Eren’s waist. 

“I mean the _whole_ night,” Eren continued, his body stiff against Levi’s. “I really need you to stay.” 

“Cause of your mom?” Levi asked him carefully, his lips tugging down into a frown. 

“No. It’s not that. I just, I need you to be here with me. Waiting for you to come back was horrible and I don’t… I don’t think I can say goodbye to you.” 

Levi fumbled for Eren’s hand and grabbed onto it, pulling it against Eren’s chest and resting his face against his neck. “I don’t want to say goodbye to you either.” 

Eren relaxed in his arms and Levi curled his body securely around the brunette’s, breath warm against his neck and his heart pounding against Eren’s back. He didn’t care if Kenny was mad at him for not coming back, there wasn’t a force in the world that could pull him away from the other boy. 

The next morning he snuck back into the house while his uncle was still sleeping and hid in his room, putting on his pajamas to create the appearance that he had come before the sun was out. 

He didn’t think much of it when there was a knock on the door a couple hours later. That is, until he heard Mr. Jaeger’s voice in the living room. 

Levi’s stomach dropped and he slipped out of his room silently, hiding in the hallway and listening. 

“We need to talk,” Mr. Jaeger told Kenny, his voice strained. “Do you know Levi was at our house last night?” 

There was a pause. Levi held his breath. 

“Yeah…” Kenny said slowly. “Did you not?” 

“He came over after he’d already gone home for the night,” Mr. Jaeger explained. “They didn’t ask me for permission to have a sleep over.” 

“Oh,” Kenny said in a noncommittal way. 

“That’s, that’s not even the issue.” Mr. Jaeger let out an exasperated sigh. “I went to look in on Eren and I found Levi in there, _in his bed_. They were… sleeping together. And I mean _sleeping together_ , they were… like they’re lovers.” 

“Ah,” Kenny replied. 

“And you don’t see this as concerning? Just yesterday Levi asked me if he could take Eren on a _date_. I didn’t take it too seriously because they’re just kids, even though they told me they’re boyfriends that apparently think they’re getting _married_ , but Levi sneaking into my house and getting in my son’s bed that way is a little much.” 

Levi felt nauseous and he wrapped his arms around his body. Mr. Jaeger had caught them and he was so completely screwed. What would he do if he said that Levi wasn’t allowed to see Eren anymore? Just the thought of it brought terror to the boy’s heart. He shut his eyes, tears falling down his cheeks. He was about to run down the stairs and beg Grisha for forgiveness and one more chance, when his uncle spoke up. 

“I really don’t see what the problem is. They’ve both been through a lot and they obviously find comfort in each other’s company. You’re right that they’re just kids, but it’s not like they’re _doing_ anything. So what if they sleep together in a bed?” 

“Eren is ten-years-old. Now, I’m not blaming Levi, I know my son and I know he’s a bit precocious and all of this was probably his idea, but if this continues one thing will lead to another and…” 

“And so what? In a few years they might have sex?” Kenny asked bluntly, chuckling. “Are you going to tell me you didn’t have sex when you were a teenager?” 

“That’s not the point,” Grisha sighed. 

“What does it matter? It’s normal. They’re going to do it eventually, either with each other or someone else, we have no control over that. Wouldn’t you rather Eren be with someone that he’s known for years and cares about him?” 

“You’re asking me to condone what they’re doing, sneaking around and sleeping together like they’re some… married couple.” 

“I’m not saying you need to condone it. You could do what I do and pretend you don’t notice it. I caught them sleeping together like you did over a week ago when Eren spent the night here. They have no idea I saw them.” 

Levi clasped his hand over his mouth, his back sliding down the wall until his bottom softly hit the floor. Kenny had seen them sleeping together. He _knew_ and not only had he not teased Levi over it, now he was _defending him_ to Eren’s father. 

“Why didn’t you say something?” Grisha asked. 

“Because for the first time in years, my nephew is happy, and it’s because of your son. Eren is the best thing that’s ever happened to him. He’s finally coming out of his shell and his depression and acting like the kid I knew before my sister got sick. When Eren slept over, it was the only time I’ve ever checked in on him when he was sleeping and seen him smiling. They’re not hurting anything, I’m not going to mess with it. And, I’m no doctor like you, I don’t have all the degrees and the fancy education, but it’s my opinion that you shouldn’t interfere either. Your son has been through some serious shit, too, and I don’t think you can honestly tell me that you don’t think Levi has been a big part of helping him pull through the accident as well as he has.” 

“I know Levi has helped him a lot,” Grisha admitted, his voice dropping with sadness. 

“And Eren has helped Levi. They’re good for each other. They’re _ten_ , they’re sleeping together and holding hands. Maybe they’ve kissed. If I had any reason to think more was going on, I’d have a serious talk with Levi, but I don’t. It’s harmless.” 

Grisha sighed loudly. “I just don’t know what to do with Eren. Carla was so much better at handling these things.” 

“Hey, I was never cut out for the parenting thing,” Kenny laughed. “That’s why I didn’t have any kids of my own. But, now I have Levi and I’m trying to do right by him, even if my style isn’t the most traditional. As long as he isn’t hurting himself or anyone else, what the hell does it matter? He’s sleeping in bed with his little boyfriend, hell, good for him. There are way worse things he could be doing. Damned if I wasn’t at his age. He’s a good kid. So is Eren. I wouldn’t stress over the small shit so much. You’ll drive yourself insane.” 

“You’re right,” Grisha conceded. “Ultimately, it really isn’t such a terrible thing. I think, maybe my initial reaction, that it was cute… maybe, maybe I’m over thinking it now.” 

“I think you are,” Kenny said. “They _are_ cute. Your son was singing to Levi in my front yard last week about how he wanted Levi to marry him. I thought my nephew was going to piss himself. It was hilarious.” 

Levi covered his face with his hands. He just knew Kenny had been laughing about it. 

But, Kenny had been a rock star uncle and a heck of a friend to him. So Levi could forgive him for thinking it was funny. 

When Grisha left, Levi walked down the stairs quietly, catching Kenny in the kitchen drinking coffee. 

“Sleep well?” His uncle asked and Levi blushed, pulling out the supplies for a bowl of cereal and slipping into his chair at the table. 

“Yeah, I did,” Levi said politely, looking at the older man with appreciation. “Thanks.” 

Maybe Kenny wasn’t such an annoying pain after all. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading<3


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was written for the Ereri Week Day 4 Prompt: Fireflies
> 
> I'm sorry this chapter is a little short! I have to go out tonight and if I didn't finish this before I left I'd never make it onto the day 5 prompt in time.

By the time late summer rolled around, the two boys were inseparable. Levi spent more nights than not sleeping in Eren’s bed with him. The brunette was asking Levi to stay nearly every night and he always did, never giving a second thought to whether he was pushing his luck with Kenny and Mr. Jaeger by taking advantage. He simply couldn’t say no to spending time with Eren, especially when he looked at him with that pleading look in his eyes and asked him quietly in the moonlit bedroom not to leave his side. 

Levi never asked to stay, never wanting to put pressure on Eren to have him around if he didn’t want him there, but every night he walked to the Jaeger house secretly hoping that he wouldn’t be leaving until morning. He had found that the nights that he spent in his own bed he couldn’t sleep, constantly tossing and turning and unable to get his brain to shut off. All he could think about was Eren, how much he missed him, how he smelled, how cold his bed was without Eren’s warm body snuggled up against his own. 

So when he reached Eren’s window that night and the other boy wasn’t standing there waiting to open it, Levi was rattled and confused. There hadn’t been a night since their summer together had officially begun that Eren hadn’t been waiting to give him a kiss goodnight. Was he mad at Levi? Did something happen? Had Mr. Jaeger said enough was enough and told Eren not to go to the window. 

Levi was lost and he stared at the window, not knowing what to do. The thought of not seeing Eren, of not saying goodnight to him filled him with dread and anxiety. 

And just as he was about to cry, his lip trembling, he felt a hand on his shoulder and jumped. 

“Shh! It’s just me,” Eren whispered, grinning in front of him. “Did I scare you? Did you think I was a ghost?” 

“No!” Levi said defensively. “I just… what are you doing out here?” 

“I’ve got a surprise, come on,” Eren chirped, grabbing onto Levi’s hand and dragging him around the house to the backyard. 

Levi followed along, swallowing when Eren pointed up at the newly finished tree house. 

“It’s up there, follow me,” Eren insisted, hopping onto the ladder. 

Levi wasn’t so sure it was the greatest idea to go up there in the dark, but Eren had already reached the top and he wasn’t about to hang around down at the ground like some chicken. 

“Are you coming or what?” Eren called down to him when he got onto the ladder. 

“I’m coming,” Levi said quietly, being extra careful with his footing so he wouldn’t fall. 

When he reached the top of the latter and climbed inside the tree house, his mouth dropped open at what the brunette sitting in the center had done. 

All around the inner walls of the tree house were mason jars filled with fireflies. When Eren had said he needed to go home at dusk to help his father build some furniture, he hadn’t questioned it. But, now Levi could see that it was a cover so he could slip away and spend the evening catching what had to be hundreds of fireflies. 

When Eren Jaeger had an idea, he carried it through with more passion and enthusiasm than most people could even fathom, and the beautiful blinking glow that surrounded them in the tree house was proof of it. 

“Do you like it?” Eren asked expectantly. 

“I… I love it,” Levi whispered. He’d never seen so many fireflies at once, all working together and illuminating the small space, making his beautiful, beaming boyfriend glow like the angel he was. “I can’t believe you did this…” 

“Well, candles were out cause my dad won’t let me do anything with fire,” Eren sighed with annoyance, signifying that he thought he was totally responsible enough to be trusted with matches. “So, I improvised!” 

“Why did you…?” Levi looked around him, in complete awe. He felt honored that Eren would go to such trouble for him. 

“Because I wanted to do something special for you before school started.” Eren looked down at his hands, folded in his lap. “I wanted you to remember this, and me.” 

“What do you mean, remember you?” Levi asked nervously. If Eren told him he was moving again Levi was pretty sure he would die. 

“I mean, when school starts, we might not be in the same class and see each other as much and, well, I’m sure you’ll have new friends to hang out with and I… I don’t know, maybe you…” Eren trailed off, his face looking so sad all of a sudden. 

“Maybe I’ll what?” Levi asked, reaching out and taking Eren’s hand. 

“Maybe you won’t want people to know I’m your boyfriend,” Eren mumbled, as though saying the words were the hardest thing he’d done in a long time. 

“Eren,” Levi shook his head, surprised to see the other boy’s confidence wavering even in the slightest. “You’re the only person that matters to me. I’m proud that you’re my boyfriend. I wouldn’t trade you for a hundred friends.” 

“You swear?” Eren asked, looking up at Levi with those big teal eyes of his. 

“Yeah,” Levi said genuinely, squeezing his hand around Eren’s. “You’re the best thing in my life. I never want to do anything to mess it up.” 

There were pillows and blankets on the floor and Eren lay down on them, pulling Levi with him. He stared at Levi for a few moments, brushing his hand over his cheek and Levi’s hair from his face. 

“You’re all I think about, you know,” Eren whispered. “Do you think that’s weird?” 

“If it is, then I’m weird, too,” Levi admitted, earning a grin from the brunette. 

Eren snuggled closer to Levi and Levi lifted his chin and kissed him. If Eren knew how important he was to Levi, he’d never worry or have any doubts or fears about losing him. Levi never planned to let him go. 

Eren put his head on Levi’s chest and wrapped his arm around his waist, the two of them listening to the sounds of the night, the crickets and creatures calling for their mates, the waving glow of the fireflies lulling them both into a peaceful sleep. 

Levi didn’t need anything else. He held the whole world in his arms. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!
> 
> If you're still reading this story, please let me know. I *am* going to finish out the Ereri week prompts, but I was thinking about putting up blocks of chapters as part of a collection beyond this (them at different ages) if there is enough interest. Like everything would be this universe, but I'd time jump to them at different ages and post a few chapters that way, then have another set of chapters at another age, etc.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was written for Ereri Week Day 5: Mythology.
> 
> I don't know much about Mythology (at least in the traditional sense) and almost skipped this prompt. But, well, I figured I've watched enough Supernatural and Teen Wolf that I had to be able to come up with *something* that fit, soooo, here we go.

Levi grinned at his reflection in the bathroom mirror, exposing a set of pretty wicked fangs. He felt as awesome as he knew he looked as he dabbed fake blood at the corners of his mouth and created dribbles that flowed down his chin. Eren had suggested they both dress as vampires for Halloween and Levi had loved the idea, excited not only to have someone to Trick-or-Treat with but that they would be in somewhat matching costumes. Eren had told him that couples were supposed to wear costumes that either matched or complimented each other and Levi was thrilled Eren had picked something so cool. Though, he didn’t expect anything less from the coolest person he knew. Eren always had the best ideas. 

He straightened his cravat, admiring the way it and his red and black gothic vest made him look so distinguished. Sure, he was undead, but he made it look darn good. He adjusted his cape and then smudged black eyeliner around his eyes, appreciating the way it made them pop and look a bit hollowed all at the same time. 

Levi grabbed a pillow case from the linen closet and thumped down the stairs, getting a thumbs up from his uncle when he reached the living room. 

“Looking good,” Kenny said with an impressed nod. He appreciated good style and Levi was oozing it. 

“Thanks,” Levi said proudly, flashing his uncle a devilish smile. “I’m gonna go pick up Eren now. We’ll be back at 9 when Trick-or-Treating is over.” 

“Have fun,” Kenny called to him as he trotted out the door and ran across the street. There were already small children out with their parents and Levi felt so grown up that Kenny and Grisha were allowing them to go out on their own. 

He knocked on the door and was surprised and confused when Eren answered in his regular clothes. 

“Where’s your costume?” Levi asked, his brows furrowing. “Is something wrong?” 

“Hot damn, Romeo, you look _good_ ,” Eren said, looking the other boy up and down. 

“Th-thanks,” Levi stammered bashfully, suddenly feeling rather self conscious he was the only one in costume. 

“Mmm,” Eren hopped out the front door onto the porch, then down the steps to the front yard. “Yeah, the thing of it is, I can’t just throw on my costume and be a vampire.” 

“Why not?” Levi asked, his voice a bit muffled through his fake fangs. 

“Because, that’s _boring_ ,” Eren said with an exaggerated sigh. “Besides, there’s a perfectly good vampire right here on my front porch.” 

Levi stared blankly at Eren who had a devious glint in his eyes. 

“You’re gonna have to catch me and bite me if you want to turn me,” Eren shouted to Levi backing away from him and then turning to race toward the backyard. 

Levi gasped, realizing what the boy that he could hear giggling all the way around the house wanted him to do, and he bared his teeth and growled, leaping off the porch with a swoosh of his cape. He ran toward the backyard, laughing diabolically when he spotted Eren darting between trees. 

“Oh no, what am I going to do?” Eren cried out, scampering behind a large maple tree with yellowed leaves and peeking out at Levi from behind the trunk. “Please don’t hurt me,” he cooed as Levi stalked closer, giving Eren a sly, crooked grin. 

Eren darted out from behind the tree, trying to make a run for the tree house, but Levi bolted after him and wrapped his arms around his waist. Both boys tumbled to the ground and after some struggle, Eren was laying flat on his back with his wrists pinned above his shoulders. 

“You aren’t going to kill me, are you?” Eren asked, breathing heavily, his eyes blown. 

Levi smirked, staring down at Eren who was pretending to be helpless and at his mercy. He felt fluttering in his stomach and his heart raced. Being on top of Eren like this was… kind of nice. And so was the way Eren was looking at him. 

“No,” Levi promised, doing his best to add a gravelly lowness to his voice. “I think I’d rather keep you around.” 

Eren gasped and tossed his head. “But, I don’t know _how_ to be a vampire!” 

“I’ll teach you,” Levi murmured, eyes twinkling with amusement. “I’ll take good care of you. Now be good and let me bite you. I’ll try and be gentle.” 

Eren broke character for just a fraction of a second, the corners of his lips twisting up into a pleased little smile before he shut his eyes dramatically and turned his head to the side, exposing the delicious expanse of his neck to the vampire boy on top of him. “Please, make it fast, don’t hurt me too much,” he pleaded. 

Levi’s eyes widened and he gawked at Eren’s neck, his stomach rolling. He felt a little dizzy and he took in a deep breath. There was something about this game that was making Levi feel really strange. Not in a bad way, but it was curious and different and the boy couldn’t figure out why he liked being on top of Eren and holding him so much. 

Levi licked his lips and dropped his head down, pressing his chest against Eren’s as he sank his fake fangs gently into the skin of Eren’s neck. His hair brushed against Eren’s face and neck and the boy beneath him pretended to push back and cried out in mock agony. 

“I feel so different,” Eren said dramatically and Levi wondered if he was still playing or being serious, because Levi definitely felt different and it wasn’t acting. He lifted his head and looked down at the grinning brunette that was beaming up at him. “I guess I’m yours now, huh?” 

Levi choked out a ‘yes’ before crawling off of Eren and taking his hands to help him up. His heart was leaping all over inside his chest and he was pretty sure he needed a glass of water or something. 

He held Eren’s hand while the other boy walked back into the house, leaving Levi to wait for him while he disappeared into his room to get changed. 

Mr. Jaeger glanced at the quiet boy that was deep in thought sitting at his kitchen counter and asked if he needed anything. Levi graciously took him up on his offer of a drink and worried his lip between his fangs. 

“Are you OK?” Mr. Jaeger asked him, leaning his elbows down on the counter. 

Levi nodded. “Yes, sir.” He wasn’t sure he could even put what he was feeling into words if he tried. 

Eren burst out of his bedroom, twirling around and making his own black cape fan out around him. “Give me candy or I’ll turn you into the undead, dad!” 

He trampled over to the counter neck to Levi and tipped his head to the side, revealing a big bloody patch right where Levi had play bit him only a few minutes earlier. 

“My wounds haven’t had time to heal yet, I’m a newb vampire, but Levi’s gonna teach me, right Levi?” Eren gave him a bright, expectant grin and Levi cleared his throat and nodded. 

“So Levi turned you into a vampire?” Grisha asked, beginning to process what was going on between the boys as Levi’s face turned a few shades darker. 

“Yup! See?” Eren pointed to his neck proudly. “He’s my sire.” 

Grisha nearly choked on his drink and set it down, coughing. “He’s your _what_?” 

Eren rolled his eyes and put his hands on his hips. “My _sire_. The one who turned me? Now I’m a part of his coven. So, we’re officially family now.” 

“I see,” Grisha said, eyeing his son with some fleeting concern. 

“Welp, gotta go get candy now,” Eren said, ending the conversation as he grabbed his pillow case. “See ya, dad!” 

Grisha made eye contact with Levi while Eren grabbed his arm and tugged him toward the door and the boy felt like shrinking. He knew that Grisha had to know that he’d bitten Eren’s neck and he hoped he wasn’t mad at him. 

Levi didn’t have much time to dwell on what _Grisha_ was thinking, though, because Eren announced to any neighbor or stranger that would listen once they hit the streets that Levi had caught him and bitten him and turned him into a vampire. Then he would show off the bloody patch on his neck and his new plastic fangs proudly and all the grown ups would make a fuss over him while Levi turned as red as his vest. 

By the end of the evening, Eren was exhausted, complaining that his bag of candy was too heavy and his feet hurt in his black vampire shoes and how could vampires walk around in such things, surely they had to be able to fly or teleport. Levi had taken his pillow case from him and when he still limped beside him he hoisted him onto his back, giving the brunette a piggy back ride for the remaining three blocks until they reached their homes. 

The divvied up their candy while Grisha checked it, Eren giving Levi all of his Almond Joy’s (because “ew, coconut shouldn’t be in candy”) and Levi giving Eren all of those hideously hard pellets of pink bubble gum. They generously allowed Grisha to keep the Neko Wafers and Levi took all of the orange and black caramels that Eren said looked like baby poop and tasted even worse (causing Levi to ask when exactly he’d tasted baby poop) home to Kenny. 

Levi was sent home after Eren had thrown one too many peanut M &Ms into Levi’s mouth in front of his increasingly annoyed father, his patience with two giggling boys on a sugar high worn thin. 

Several hours later, Levi returned to the Jaeger house, tapping his fingers lightly on Eren’s window until the other boy opened it. 

Levi climbed inside and Eren smiled and wrapped his arms around Levi’s waist, crashing rapidly from all the sugar he had consumed. 

“I thought maybe you weren’t gonna come tonight,” he mumbled sleepily against Levi’s neck. 

“I promised you I was gonna take good care of you, didn’t I?” Levi asked, wrapping his arms around Eren’s body that relaxed against his. The brunette nodded against Levi’s neck and exhaled peacefully, comforted by Levi’s words. 

And the dark haired boy meant them with every last bit of his being. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked this chapter! Love you all <3 Thanks for reading!
> 
> Please check out the new art SaltedClarity made for this story! It is so unbelievably, insanely cute, you will fall over dead and then come back to life to squeal at the adorableness and then die all over again. Look at all of the detail! It's amazing <3
> 
> http://saltedclarity.tumblr.com/post/120764917023/there-wasnt-a-force-in-the-world-that-could-pull


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was written for Ereri Week Day 6: Storm
> 
> I'm sorry this is so late. I had a truly terrible day and I couldn't write this until really late. In any event, I managed to get it done. And it's the longest chapter yet. It is still the 6th in some places on planet Earth, so technically I am still on time. *nods* I hope you like it.

Eren slid closer to Levi in their seat on the bus, Levi taking the spot by the window that day that was usually occupied by Eren to block him from the draft. Eren slid a freezing hand into Levi’s, having forgotten his gloves (again), and Levi gave it a gentle squeeze. No one could see them holding hands, as Eren had his backpack in his lap, and the contact was always welcomed after being separated during the school day. 

In spite of shivering and chattering his teeth on the freezing school bus, Eren had a broad smile. It was an exciting treat to be sent home from school so early, the storm that had originally been expected to spare their community taking a turn and now on track to completely pummel the area with snow. There were few things Eren loved more than a snow day or excuse to miss school and get to spend the day playing video games, and his excitement was palpable. 

Kenny and Grisha were at work, and though both of the boys had texted their guardians once they got on the bus and said they were on their way home, neither of the adults were going to be able to make it home in time to greet them. 

Levi listened intently as Eren rattled off his plans for once they got home, telling him that it was vital that they set up Eren’s consoles at Levi’s house before they played in the snow, because their fingers would be too numb once they got inside. Levi nodded along, agreeing that they should set up to play at his house, Kenny was a lot less uptight than Grisha and he wouldn’t care if they were noisy. 

It took longer to get home than usual, the bus moving slowly through the snow covered streets, and by the time it reached their stop Eren practically ran off the bus, dragging Levi behind him. They dumped their things off at Levi’s house and went to Eren’s, collecting all of his games, consoles and everything else awesome they might need before bedtime and transferred it to Levi’s. 

Then they changed into their snow clothes, Levi in navy blue and black with a navy blue knit hat that was baggy in the back and Eren in grey and white with Fairisle beanie in purple, grey and white with a pom pom on top. Levi flicked the ball on the top of Eren’s hats while he put on his boots and the other boy giggled and tried to swat his hand away, ending up falling on the floor and pulling Levi down with him. He borrowed a pair of Levi’s gloves because in spite of pulling everything out of the coat closet he was unable to find a matching pair and Levi had insisted that wearing his would be better (whenever Eren wore mismatched socks Levi couldn’t help but stare at them and he knew the gloves would cause a similar reaction). 

The boys ignored the weather reports warning of blizzard-like conditions moving into the area soon, as far as they were concerned the more snow (and days off from school), the better, and they made their way out to Levi’s front yard to play in the snow. 

There was already at least six inches and it was great packing snow, so as their first project they decided to build a snowman. At first they were going to make a snow Kenny to surprise him when he came home – with a busted up cigar in his mouth in place of a pipe – but the more they worked with the snow and the more artistically talented Eren saw Levi was, their snow man morphed into a snow Titan – one of the humanoid creatures that you battled (and eventually could even control) in their favorite Xbox game, Attack on Titan. 

They worked together, with their red noses and pink cheeks, building an awesome and hilarious version of their favorite boss, the Colossal Titan, right in the middle of the yard. They were proud of their work, but when they stepped down toward the street to admire it – after giving each other a high five and a hug – someone pelted Eren in the back of the head with a snowball. 

“Hey loser, nice snowman, is that your mom?” 

Levi’s jaw dropped a the reference to Eren’s mother and Eren spin around, rage flaring in his eyes. 

“Shut up, horse face! Why don’t you go back to your barn?” Eren yelled at the laughing boy, standing beside two other boys that Levi didn’t recognize. 

“I would, but your mom is busy in there giving free rides!” The boy with light brown hair called back, a stupid smile on his face. 

Levi looked over at Eren, his boyfriend’s fists in balls and his teeth clenched. 

“Shut up, Jean, you’re such an asshole!” Eren growled, lurching toward the trio of boys. Levi grabbed onto his arm, holding him back. 

“Eren,” he hissed quietly so they wouldn’t hear. “Don’t.” 

Jean and his two friends were bigger than both of them and had them outnumbered. 

“But, he…” Eren turned to Levi with watery eyes. 

“I know,” Levi whispered. “Let me deal with them.” 

“Is that your boyfriend?” Jean asked in a teasing voice. “That the best you could do, asshat?” 

Levi snorted and grabbed onto Eren’s hand. “Do you even _have_ a boyfriend or girlfriend? I doubt anyone would have you with a face like _that_.” 

Jean’s eyes narrowed and his friends chuckled. “I could get anyone I want,” Jean snapped defensively. 

“Oh, right,” Levi said with a laugh. “Would either of you two date him?” Levi asked Jean’s two friends. 

Both of the boys shook their heads rapidly. 

“Ew, now way!” The tallest one yelled. 

“That’s gross!” The brunette said, making puke noises. 

Eren grinned as Jean looked at his friends and gave them dirty looks and Levi gave his boyfriend’s hand a squeeze. 

“Well, looks like you can’t have _anyone_ ,” Levi pointed out. “Something tells me you get that reaction a lot.” 

“Shut up, douche bag,” Jean yelled, dropping down while his friends laughed and making another snowball. “I’ll kick your ass!” 

Jean threw the snowball with all of his might and it whizzed past Levi, missing him by several feet. 

“Wow! Impressive!” Levi mocked him, Jean’s friends continuing to laugh and clutch their stomachs. “If your aim is that good with your fists I’m in _real_ trouble!” 

Jean started to stalk towards Levi’s front yard, but his tall friend stopped him, putting his hand on his shoulder. 

“Dude, he’s kind of funny, just stop.” 

“Screw off!” Jean growled, shoving his friend away and then running awkwardly down the street away through the deep snow, away from Levi’s house. 

The other two boys left, walking in the direction Jean had run off, and Eren turned to Levi and smiled. 

“That was awesome,” Eren said, impressed. “How did you _do_ that?” 

“Bullies like him are trying to get a reaction,” Levi explained, taking Eren’s other hand and pulling him a step closer to him. “They like to target people that will get mad or upset.” 

“He picks on me all the time,” Eren admitted, his eyes dropping to the ground. 

Levi frowned with concern. “He does? Where? Why didn’t you tell me?” 

Eren shrugged, kicking his boot in the snow. “I don’t know. Because I didn’t want you to think I was a loser. He’s in my class and he gives me crap all the time. He’s always throwing things at me and calling me names. If I have to walk by him, he shoves me. One time we were working in groups and he was sitting next to me… he pushed me out of my chair and I fell on the floor. The teacher thought I was messing around and I got detention and missed recess.” 

“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me all this,” Levi said, his concern turning to anger toward Jean. “I would never think you’re a loser, I would have tried to help you.” 

“Well, I know that _now_ ,” Eren mumbled, snowflakes falling and sticking to his thick, dark eyelashes. “I was trying to handle it myself. I didn’t want to be a rat.” 

“Telling _me_ isn’t being a rat,” Levi insisted. “I’m your boyfriend. I’ll back you up.” 

Eren lifted his head and looked into Levi’s eyes, looking relieved that he had finally told someone. 

“You’re the best, you know?” Eren asked softly, putting his cold wet hands on Levi’s face and pulling him in for a kiss. 

Levi wrapped his arms around Eren’s puffy waist and hugged him. Eren did have a way of bringing out the best in him. 

They went inside and changed into some of Levi’s pajamas, each putting on one of Levi’s hoodies as well because they were chilled to the bone after playing outside for so long. There was already nearly a foot of snow and the wind had picked up quite a bit, making visibility drop considerably. Levi made them hot chocolate and sandwiches and they curled up on the couch together under two fuzzy blankets to the Lego Movie. Levi put his arm around Eren and the brunette snuggled against him and took his other hand, looking over occasionally to drop a kiss on Levi’s cheek. 

They were just nearing the end of the movie when, with a noise like dying energy, the power went out. The boys sat in silence for a few moments, waiting for it to flicker back on, but it didn’t. 

“I guess our Super Smash Bros Tournament of Champions is out,” Eren complained with annoyance. 

“Yeah,” Levi said thoughtfully, climbing off the couch. “We won’t have any heat or lights, either,” Levi said, pacing through the room. “It’s all electric.” 

“So…” Eren trailed Levi with his eyes. “It’s going to be pitch black in here soon.” 

“And freezing,” Levi added, running a hand through his hair. 

“What are we gonna do?” Eren asked with worry. “The snow isn’t supposed to stop for like two more days!” 

Levi pulled out his phone. “I’m gonna text Kenny and see if he’ll give me permission to light a fire.” 

It didn’t take long for Kenny to reply to Levi and tell him to go ahead and light a fire but to be very careful (and don’t let Eren help, do it yourself), and that he was on his way home but the roads were in terrible condition and he was moving very slowly. 

Levi used Kenny’s utility lighter to start a fire in the fireplace and light a few candles around the living room and Eren crawled down onto the floor next to Levi to sit in front of the fire with him. 

“My hero,” Eren said proudly, giving Levi a kiss on the cheek and making him blush. 

“It’s not a big deal,” Levi shrugged bashfully, sitting next to Eren and pulling one of the blankets over their shoulders. He draped the other blanket over their legs while they waited for the fire to start giving off heat, alone in the dark and silent house. 

“Truth or dare,” Eren blurted out, staring at the bouncing flames. 

“Um,” Levi shifted his eyes over to Eren. He’d never actually played that game before and was a little nervous what Eren might suggest. “Truth?” 

“Did you ever like anyone before me?” Eren asked, a hint of jealousy in his voice. 

“No,” Levi answered honestly, looking over at Eren with a goofy smirk. “You’re pretty much the only person I’ve ever liked at _all_ , like _ever_.” 

“Good,” Eren said with a satisfied nod. “Now you ask me.” 

“OK, truth or dare?” 

“Truth,” Eren said evenly. 

Levi took in a deep breath. There was something that had been on his mind for weeks and now was as good a time as any to finally bring it up. “Remember on Halloween, when we were in the backyard at your house and I tackled you and was on top of you?” 

“Yeah,” Eren said nodding and grinning. “When you bit me and turned me into a vampire.” 

“Yeah,” Levi paused and took a moment to work up his nerve. “When that was… when we were like that… did you feel kind of… weird?” 

“Weird?” Eren asked, his nose wrinkling and looking over at Levi. 

“Like, not a bad weird,” Levi explained quickly. “Just like, I don’t know, different?” 

“Are you asking me if I liked it?” Eren squinted his eyes, tilting his head. 

“Yeah, sort of,” Levi shrugged, scratching the back of his head nervously. “But, what I mean is, was it like…” 

“Awesome?” Eren asked. 

Levi nodded silently. 

“Yeah,” Eren smirked nudging Levi in the side. 

Levi dropped his head, looking down into his lap, his ears turning red. 

“Give me a dare?” Eren asked, breaking the silence between them. 

Levi’s eye lids drooped and locked his eyes onto Eren’s lip. “I dare you to give me the best kiss ever.” 

Eren’s eyes sparkled, the flames of the fire dancing in them as he crawled closer to Levi. Levi took in a sharp breath and shut his eyes when he felt the brunette press his soft, wet lips against his. 

When the front door swung open, bringing a gust of freezing air and snow along with Kenny into the house, the boys nearly jumped out of their skin and Eren scrambled away Levi. Kenny shut the door and changed out of his winter gear, looking over at the boys that stared at him with wide, guilty eyes, flushed faces. 

“Good job with the fire, Levi,” Kenny said, watching his nephew carefully and coming in to sit on the couch before turning his attention to the other boy. “Where’s your old man, Eren?” 

“Um,” Eren swallowed and scratched at his head. “Uh, still at work, I guess?” 

“Why don’t you go in there and give him a call?” Kenny suggested, nodding toward the kitchen. 

“OK,” Eren said, looking over his shoulder at Levi, then to Kenny, before disappearing into the kitchen with a candle. 

“Come here,” Kenny said, patting the couch next to him. 

Levi frowned and stood up, sulking over the couch and sitting down on reluctantly. 

“I guess I walked in on some big stuff, huh?” Kenny asked with a flick of his eyebrow. 

“No. I don’t know,” Levi mumbled, his shoulders slumping forward. 

“You know, I can’t control what you do, I’ve been around enough to know that,” Kenny explained. “When I was your age I was getting into all kinds of trouble. I know if you want to do something badly enough, you’ll find a way. And I have no interest in being a private investigator.” 

“Why are you telling me this?” 

“Because, you’re my nephew and I’m trying to help you out,” Kenny nudged Levi with his elbow, nearly knocking the unsuspecting boy over. “Believe it or not, I’m not trying to ruin your life.” 

“So then what,” Levi asked him. “You think I’m too young to kiss him, right?” 

“I think you need to be a lot more careful,” Kenny corrected, staring at Levi. “Eren’s dad isn’t sold on this whole _thing_ you two have going on. I’ve tried to talk him down about it, but if he had walked in on what I did, I think he would have shot you and hung your head on his wall.” 

“It was just a kiss,” Levi grumbled defensively. 

“That really doesn't matter,” Kenny said with amusement. “Grisha would have shit himself. You need to be a lot more careful if you’re going to do those things. I really don’t want to know about it and Grisha will lose his mind.” 

“I don’t want Mr. Jaeger to hate me,” Levi sighed. “I guess I wasn’t thinking.” 

“Yeah, well, that’s normal and you’re going to be dealing with a lot of that now,” Kenny said with a chuckle. “But, if you care about Eren and want to keep spending time with him, you need to keep your head on straight and be smart about things. Eren doesn’t have much self control, so you’re going to need to have enough for both of you. You get me?” 

Levi nodded. He would make sure that Mr. Jaeger never caught them kissing. It wasn’t worth losing Eren over, Kenny was right. 

“My dad is stuck at work,” Eren announced, walking back into the room. “He said if it was OK with you, Mr. Ackerman, he’d like me to stay here tonight.” 

Kenny nodded. “Of course, let him know you can stay as long as you need. Let him know we’ve got a fire and plenty of food and water.” 

While Eren typed out the text message, his tongue sticking out the corner of his mouth, Kenny looked back over to Levi. 

“I really don’t care, Levi, just not in front of me and not where Grisha can see it, OK?” 

Levi nodded with understanding. He was grateful Kenny was being so cool and understanding about things. His mother probably wouldn’t have handled it all much better than Grisha was. “Thanks Kenny.” 

“You got it,” Kenny said, slapping Levi on the back and walking into the kitchen to grab himself a beer so he could drink what was in the refrigerator before it got warm. 

The boys cooked hotdogs on the fire for dinner and made s’mores for dessert. Levi was already learning to practice his self control by not licking the gooey marshmallow from the corners of Eren’s lips after he ate the sugary snack. 

Kenny, having had quite a few drinks and in a particularly amiable mood, let the boys stay up much later than usual. They sprawled out on their stomachs in front of the fire and played Clue, Uno, and Sorry and then bounced around the room playing Guesstures. 

Kenny chuckled but kept his mouth shut when in order to get Levi to guess “spoon” Eren pushed Levi onto the floor and curled up in front of him, leaving his nephew confused and speechless. They all laughed when Eren acted out “high heels,” walking around the room on his tip toes with his hand on his hip and swaying side to side like a diva. It appeared the highlight of the game for everyone but Levi was when Levi had to act out “toilet” and Levi, red faced, squatted on the floor and made grunting noises – much to Eren and Kenny’s delight. 

Once they were out of breath and most of their energy, they sat in front of the fire and played the Pokemon version of Monopoly until they were both yawning and could barely keep their eyes open. 

Kenny brought down the sleeping bag and pillows and put them on the floor a few feet from the fire. Levi looked at him curiously, as there was only the one sleeping bag, and Kenny shrugged, saying that with the heat being out they all needed to sleep in the living room and them sharing the bag would help them stay warm through the night. Eren’s face absolutely lit up at what Kenny had suggested and he was eager to crawl inside of the bag in front of Levi. Kenny draped a couple of extra blankets over them and went back to the couch, his bed for the night, propping a few pillows behind his head. 

After Kenny shut his eyes, Levi slipped his arms around Eren’s body and the other boy took his hands. 

“Sweet dreams,” Levi whispered. After all, he knew that was exactly what _he_ would be having. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I'll reply to you all tomorrow. I really had an awful day and just the fact that I was able to get this written and posted is nothing short of a miracle. I hope it doesn't have a ton of typos. I am in no place mentally to catch them myself right now and it's like 5 am where I live and I have no one to beta this for me at the moment. If I see stuff tomorrow I'll fix it. Love you all <3


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well my loves, you've all been so wonderful that - surprise - you get a bonus chapter <3
> 
> I wanted to include this in the story (since I decided I'm going to continue it and have them grow up within this), but it didn't fit into any of the prompts and I had to put it before I did the day seven prompt so... tada.
> 
> I hope you all like it. Day seven's prompt will either be up late tonight or tomorrow since I wrote this first.
> 
> FYI that after I post day seven's prompt I will be working on the update for A Matter of Perspective and this fic will probably start being updated weekly like that one is instead of daily. <3

The streets were still clogged with snow from the blizzard after the boys had returned to school. They’d been lucky to get the rest of the week off, plus the weekend, but on Monday life was back to regular business and reluctantly, Eren and Levi had gone back to their separate fifth grade classes. Eren had only made it halfway into Tuesday, however, before he was emptying his stomach into the trash bin. Grisha hadn’t been able to leave work, tied up at the hospital helping people in even worse condition than his son, so Kenny had been called from the boy’s emergency contact list to come to the school and fetch him. 

Levi had been called down to the office, Kenny deciding to go ahead and sign him out while he was there, and he was told by the front desk to go down to Eren’s classroom to collect his things and make up work for the next few days from his teacher. 

Levi had thought Eren had looked a little green that morning and hadn’t been acting quite himself, but he’d thought that maybe Eren was just tired from having to get back into their regular routine after so many days home playing and staying up late. He knew that Grisha was a doctor and would take good care of Eren, but he couldn’t help but worry about his boyfriend. Levi _hated_ throwing up and he felt terrible for Eren that it had happened to him at school. 

“Hey dickhead,” a familiar voice said from behind him in the hall. Levi turned around to see Jean, coming out of the boy’s bathroom, sporting a nasty grin. 

“Oh, great,” Levi said with a bored tone. “This idiot.” 

“Your boyfriend hurled all over our classroom and stunk the place up,” Jean announced, coming closer. “He’s never gonna live that down.” 

Levi sighed with exasperation and rolled his eyes. “What _is it_ with you?” 

“What?” Jean tried to hide is mild confusion. 

“You’re such an asshole. I’ve met a lot of jerks, but you’re the worst,” Levi explained with disgust. “First you make fun of Eren’s mom, who just _died_ six months ago, and now you’re saying you’re going to give him crap for being sick? Like _you’ve_ never puked your brains out? You’re such trash.” 

“Eren’s mom is _dead_?” Jean asked, his voice dropping to nearly a whisper. 

“Yeah.” Levi narrowed his eyes. This guy was such a dumb ass. “She and Eren were in a car accident over the summer and she was killed. Eren was lucky to make it out of it alive but he lost his mom and I know how that feels. Anyone that would say the things you have to him is the lowest scum someone can be.” 

“He never told me his mom was dead!” Jean explained with wide eyes. “I…I didn’t know!” 

“Maybe because you’re so horrible to him he didn’t want to tell you? Cause then instead of saying the things you already were about his mom you’d say mean things about her being gone?” Levi crossed his arms and stared hard into Jean’s eyes. “It wouldn’t even matter if you knew she had died if you weren’t such a dick to him.” 

“I was just… I didn’t…” Jean stammered, wringing his hands in front of Levi in distress. “I make jokes about _everyone’s_ moms! If I had known Eren’s mom was dead I never would have…” 

“You would have just said something else shitty, right?” Levi glared at Jean. “I know you’re on the Pee-Wee basketball team, Jean. My uncle is friends with your coach. I _know_ they have a no bullying policy. If I find out you are still giving Eren shit, I’m going to tell him. Eren might not want to rat you out, but I really don’t care _what_ you think of me. If you keep messing with him, I’ll make you sorry. You’ll get thrown off the team and I bet they’ll ban you from the baseball team, too.” 

“That’s a real dick move,” Jean growled. “What’s your problem?” 

“ _You’re_ my problem!” Levi snapped back. “Anyone that gives Eren a hard time is going to answer to me. And if you think I’ll let you get away with shit like he has, you’re even stupider than I thought! I don’t care about being cool or popular, I’ll tell your teacher and you’ll get switched to another class, I know what the rules are!” 

“No!” Jean gasped, his jaw dropping. “All of my friends are in this class! I don’t want to…” 

“Then make it so I forget you ever existed,” Levi hissed. Jean had been in the back of his mind ever since their first snow day and Levi had been just waiting to lay into the jerk. He didn’t care if the other kids said he was a tattletale or a rat. What did he care what people he didn’t even like thought of him anyway? 

Levi turned back around and stalked to Eren and Jean’s classroom, letting the door hit Jean who was behind him instead of holding it open for him. He collected Eren’s things while his teacher gave him a folder of work to bring home, glaring at Jean until he finally left the room and made his way to the nurse’s office to meet up with Eren and his uncle. 

Eren looked terrible, his eyes watery and barely open and his body limp in Kenny’s arms. 

“How are you feeling?” Levi asked timidly, his brows furrowed and a deep set frown on his lips. 

Eren groaned and Kenny sighed. “He’s burning up. Looks like a nasty bug. You might want to keep your distance, Levi.” 

Levi didn’t care that he could potentially catch whatever Eren had, which was unusual for Levi. He was too worried about Eren to even think of staying away from him. 

Eren dozed with his head in Levi’s lap on the ride back to the Ackerman house, Levi brushing his fingers through Eren’s hair and putting his cool hands on his forehead. Kenny set Eren up in the guest room, giving him some medicine to help lower his fever and putting a bucket beside his bed in case he felt the urge to throw up again. He left Levi alone with the other boy so that he could call and update Grisha on Eren’s condition, and Levi watched over the brunette, his stomach in knots of worry. 

Levi tried to remember all the things his mother had done when he would get sick, wanting so terribly to help Eren feel better. He fetched a washcloth from the linen closet and wet it with cool water, then draped it carefully over Eren’s forehead. 

“Mmmph,” Eren moaned, his eyes shut and his cheeks an unhealthy shade of red. “I feel horrible, Levi.” 

“Is there anything else I can do to help?” Levi asked him, brushing his damp hair away from the wet cloth. Eren looked so awful and he hated feeling so helpless to make it better. 

“Will you stay with me?” Eren murmured. “I don’t wanna be alone.” 

“Sure,” Levi promised without a second thought. He climbed onto the bed and lay beside Eren. Not close enough to make the sick boy any warmer but near enough that Eren would be able to feel his presence. He put his hand on Eren’s arm, just above his elbow, so Eren would be able to know he was with him and close in case he needed anything. 

They napped together, Kenny occasionally looking in on them to make sure Eren didn’t need anything, and when Levi finally woke up he insisted that Kenny sat at the foot of Eren’s bed while he went downstairs, just in case Eren woke up and looked for him. He made Eren a mug of broth with a straw and brought it back upstairs to the bedroom, relieved that Eren was only just beginning to stir when he arrived. He sat next to his boyfriend, who Kenny gave another dose of medicine, and held the mug of broth for him, bringing the straw to his lips occasionally so he could take small sips. 

When Eren finished his broth, Levi sat beside him, with Eren’s head on his shoulder, reading him The Map to Everywhere, a magical and mysterious book about pirates and thieves. Eren’s fever had gone decreased a bit and he was holding down the Gatorade that Kenny kept bringing him, but he was still quiet and lethargic. Neither of the boys noticed when Grisha had arrived, Eren’s father listening at the door to Levi reading to his son before making his presence known to them. 

“How are you feeling,” he asked Eren, coming inside and lifting Eren’s chin up to look into his eyes and feel his glands. 

“Horrible,” Eren mumbled pitifully. “I barfed in front of my whole class.” 

“It’s happens,” Grisha said, tugging Eren’s chin down so he could look at his throat. “Any other symptoms? Or is it just your stomach and the fever?” 

“I hurt all over,” Eren whined, twisting his legs under the blanket. 

“Well, let’s keep loading you up with fluids. It looks like a virus to me. You should be fine in a few days.” 

“You can’t give him any medicine to make it go away faster?” Levi asked, grabbing onto Eren’s hand. 

“No, we can only treat the symptoms and keep him comfortable and hydrated,” Grisha explained. “It needs to just run its course. Eren’s body is fighting it and knows what to do.” 

“I feel like _crap_ ,” Eren grumbled, nestling his head against Levi’s shoulder. 

“I’m sure you do,” Grisha said with a clinical tone. “Let’s get you home and you can get some sleep.” 

“No!” Eren snapped, wrapping an arm around Levi’s waist. “Levi is taking care of me and I want to stay _here_.” 

“Eren,” Grisha sighed with frustration. “You’re sick and you need to come home. Kenny doesn’t need to deal with you and you don’t need to pass it to Levi. He did me a favor having you over here today but enough is enough.” 

“But I don’t want to go!” Eren held even more tightly to Levi. “Just go home, dad! Leave me here!” 

Grisha stuck his hands under Eren’s armpits and pulled the weak, struggling boy from the bed, holding him tight against his chest while he tried to push away from him. 

“Dad!” Eren howled, his fevered face twisted up with hurt. “Let go of me! I want to stay here, just go away!” 

“Eren, I’m _not_ in the mood for this,” Grisha said sternly, turning to walk out of the room with Eren’s chin on his shoulder. 

Levi could feel his heart breaking as he watched tears fall from Eren’s eyes and slide down his flushed cheeks. He couldn’t wait until they were grown up and no one could tell them what to do or separate them anymore. 

When Levi went back downstairs, Kenny was watching TV on the couch and having a beer. He sat beside his uncle, hugging his knees, his toes hanging from the edge of the couch. 

“You OK?” Kenny asked him, glancing away from his program. 

“Not really,” Levi mumbled. He wanted to protect Eren from everything and he hated the way other people made that so impossible. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” 

Levi sighed. For once, maybe he did. “There is this boy at school, a total jerk, he keeps picking on Eren.” 

“Oh?” Kenny took a swig of his beer. 

“I saw him in the hall today when I went to get Eren’s stuff. I told him if he didn’t leave Eren alone I was gonna get him kicked off the basketball team. He was saying stuff like he was gonna make fun of Eren for getting sick in class, it made me so mad…” 

“Does it seem like he’s singling Eren out?” Kenny asked, watching Levi rock back and forth on the couch. 

“Yeah. Eren said he’s always throwing stuff at him and calling him stupid names.” 

“He probably likes him,” Kenny shrugged. 

“What?” Eren looked up at his uncle, his eyes squinted. “If he _likes_ Eren why would he be such a jerk to him?” 

“Because he’s an immature little shit,” Kenny said with a chuckle. “He gets Eren’s attention, which he wants, and none of his friends can accuse him of having a crush on him because he picks on him. He knows Eren doesn’t like him back, that Eren likes _you_ , so he can’t have anyone knowing how he feels. It would be humiliating.” 

“How do you know these things?” Levi asked, eyes wide and impressed. 

Kenny laughed. “Your uncle knows a lot of things, I’ve been around long enough. I was a dumb kid once, too.” 

Levi nodded and slumped back on the couch. He crossed his arms over his chest and glared at the TV. He _hated_ the idea of anyone, especially a jerk like _Jean_ , liking _his_ boyfriend. It made him want to tell Eren’s teacher about Jean’s bullying and get him switched out of his class more than ever. 

“Hey,” Kenny nudged his stewing nephew. “Eren likes _you_. That’s all that matters. Other boys are going to like him, you’re going to have to learn to get used to it and let it roll off your back.” 

“It bothers me,” Levi admitted, his voice tense. “I don’t like it that someone else likes him.” 

“You can’t control that,” Kenny shrugged. “He’s a cute kid. It’s bound to happen. Focus on the fact that you’re the one that _he_ likes.” 

“Yeah,” Levi mumbled. He still didn’t feel good about it. Jean was probably thinking about kissing Eren and being his boyfriend and that made Levi want to punch him. 

He shoved himself off the couch, going up to his room to read, hoping it would distract him from his thoughts of his sick boyfriend that was probably crying and the idiot boy in his class that liked him. 

He didn’t go to Eren’s window that night, at Kenny’s serious suggestion, not wanting to disturb him if he was sleeping or feeling really wretched. It was a stressful night for Levi, the first he hadn’t gone to Eren’s window in so many months. He sent Eren a text, promising that he would stop by after school with chicken soup from Dunkin Donuts and that he missed him, hoping that if the other boy was awake he would see it and know Levi was thinking about him. 

Even still, Levi tossed and turned all night. Being separated from Eren was worse than a nightmare and he couldn’t wait until they were old enough that it never had to happen again. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was written for Ereri Week Day 7 - Soulmates
> 
> Sorry it's a little late. Since I'm continuing this story I felt like I needed to develop them a little bit more, particularly Levi. So it took me a bit longer to write, but it's the longest chapter in this work so far. I hope you all enjoy the fluff. <3

The week leading up to Christmas and winter break was an intense one for Levi. The responsibility and duty of being not just Eren’s friend, but his _boyfriend_ was becoming so much clearer. And, it wasn’t that Levi minded it. No, Levi _thrived_ at feeling that he was needed and special. But, he began to feel new things. That he needed to make sure he didn’t let Eren down or disappoint him. How vital it was that Eren knew he would support him and back him up whenever he needed him. 

They began spending even more time together, at Eren’s insistence, and it made Levi’s heart melt when Eren would stare at him with big, glassy eyes and tell him he needed him around. 

Levi understood. His first Christmas without his mother had been hard, too. 

He went to the Jaeger’s to help decorate the tree and when Grisha had pulled out the boxes of ornaments, Eren had cried. There were so many of his mothers things, memories, delicate little pieces of their family history that Carla had carefully wrapped in tissue paper and boxed up just under a year earlier. 

When Eren had cried, he went to Levi instead of his father. Levi had held him tightly, letting the sobs of pain and loss rip through him, a few tears of his own falling from both empathy and the reminders of his own mother. Grisha had sat by silently, staring at the symbols that had once brought joy and smiles when they were brought out each winter. 

They hadn’t decorated the tree that night. Grisha had put the boxes away and Eren had clung to Levi on the couch, insisting they watch something that was “un-Christmasy.” 

When Levi had returned to the Jaeger house later that night, Eren was waiting with his face pressed against the window’s glass. He’d opened it up immediately and as soon as Levi was inside he pulled him into his bed, pulling the blankets up to their chins and clinging to Levi as though if he let up even slightly the other boy would disappear. 

The following day, Levi had invited Eren to come to his house to help him decorate. Kenny wasn’t much into holidays, only putting a tree up out of some combination of duty and guilt because he had Levi living with him, and it wasn’t nearly as perfect or grand as the Jaeger’s. Levi had slid the beat up cardboard box in front of himself and Eren, opening it up and showing his boyfriend each ornament while Kenny sat on the couch, having a beer. 

Eren’s eyes welled up with tears when Levi explained that he and his mother each had a wooden rocking horse, how his was black and his mom’s was the white one. He carefully placed his mother’s white horse into Eren’s hand and asked him to help put her things on the tree. 

“You never got to meet my mom, but she was really great,” Levi explained as Eren’s skinny fingers wrapped protectively around the wooden horse. “I can tell you all about her, all the things she loved and the places we went together, and then you can put them on the tree.” 

Tears dripped down Eren’s cheeks. “I want to tell you more about my mom, too,” he whispered, looking down at the little horse. “She liked horses, too.” 

“I bet they would have been best friends, just like us,” Levi said past the lump in his throat. His heart ached and he wanted to cry for his mother, but Eren was so vulnerable and he needed him to be strong. “They’re probably happy we found each other. My mom would have loved how you get me to do so much dorky stuff.” 

“Hey!” Eren sniffled and smiled weakly. “You’re just uptight. I’m not a dork.” 

“My mom always said I needed to loosen up,” Levi shrugged. 

“She was right,” Eren teased. 

And so the boys decorated the Ackerman tree, Levi explaining the significance of each ornament and Eren helping to place them on the tree. Eren asked if they should stop, if it was too hard, but Levi promised him that it was good. That it was important to remember, even if it hurt a little. 

The next day, Eren invited him back to his house to decorate their tree. He’d followed Levi’s lead, trying to explain to him why each ornament was special and things about his mother, but he was unable to hold his composure as Levi had. He was emotionally delicate in such a different way than Levi had been, all tears and snot glistening on his face in the twinkling of the Christmas lights. But, he was brave and strong, and he made it through, insisted on finishing it and remembering, even though it was so very hard. Levi admired him so much. He knew how scary it was to think about it and to let yourself remember and cry. 

Baking cookies was also a struggle for Eren. He’d been excited about the idea, primed to stuff his face full of chocolate and sugar, but when he saw his mother’s handwriting on the recipe cards his smile retreated once again. He went through the process with Levi and his father, though without his usual enthusiasm, not even bothering to throw any toppings across the table at Levi’s mouth. And when they were in the oven, decorated and beautiful, Eren curled up against Levi on the couch. The familiar smells of Christmas made the boy’s heart hurt, and he buried his face in Levi’s lap and cried. 

Levi had mixed feelings when Eren told him that Jean had been being strangely nice to him at school. He was relieved that the other boy was no longer giving Eren such a hard time, especially so close to Christmas and while Eren was struggling so much, but he was also frustrated and jealous. While he didn’t want Jean being mean to Eren, he didn’t want him being _too nice_ to him, either. He had to grit his teeth and force himself not to make up some terrible story about Jean shitting his pants while Eren was out sick or something, just to ensure that Eren would never be _too nice_ back to Jean. 

There was a tradition in town that each year, during the week before Christmas, Santa would visit the fire station on Main Street and all of the kids could come by to see him. It was Eren’s first year in town and Levi was excited to share it with him, telling him about how there would be free hot chocolate and cookies, as if Eren needed any convincing. 

It was extremely important they went to see Santa, Eren explained, as when he had written his list earlier that month and mailed it to the North Pole there were things he hadn’t realized he wanted yet. 

Main Street truly was beautiful this time of the year. There were lights strung everywhere, over the street and on all of the buildings, everything decorated and festive. They held gloved hands as they walked into town, the snow flurrying and covering everything in a fresh, glittery white blanket. 

There were tables set up, people selling crafts and taking toy donations, the school chorus were singing carols, it was exactly the kind of night that both boys needed to get them into the spirit. 

“Oh, Levi, _look_ ,” Eren squealed, pointing over to a table set up by the local cat rescue. “Kittens!” 

He dragged Levi with him to the table, bouncing up and down on his toes, his hands over his mouth. There were several cages with cats and kittens available for adoption, some of them wearing holiday themed collars and some of the adults with stockings on their cages with their names written on glitter glue on them. 

“Are we allowed to hold one?” Eren asked one of the women sitting at the table, his hands clasped together, pleading. 

“Sure you can,” the lady said with a smile. It was nearly impossible to say no the boy with the sparkling teal eyes, Levi knew that better than anyone. “Just be careful, sweetheart.” 

“The grey one, with the little white mittens?” Eren asked, pointing at one of the cages. The woman pulled the kitten out and handed it to Eren, who grinned brightly and cuddled the tiny bundle of fur against his chest. It had white paws and white fur that went down from his chest to his belly, as well as white around his chin and mouth with a blaze that went between its eyes. 

“Oh, you’re perfect,” Eren cooed, dipping his face down and kissing the kitten’s head while he pet and rubbed his fat little belly. 

The woman pulled a black kitten with the same markings from the cage and held it out to Levi. 

“Would you like to hold one, too?” She asked him, breaking his gaze away from Eren. 

“I… um…” It had been a long time since Levi had pet any animals at all. “Sure.” 

He took the kitten into his arms and instantly felt so relaxed he couldn’t help but smile. Having the warm little body curling around his arm reminded him so much of sleeping with Eren that he sighed and grinned lazily, wanting terribly to rub its soft fur against his cheeks. 

“You look so cute right now,” Eren announced, watching Levi, who was unaware he had become the center of attention. 

“I have to agree with him,” the lady behind the table said. “You’re a natural.” 

“Thanks,” Levi said quietly, embarrassed. “I wish I could keep him, but I don’t think my uncle would be too happy if I came home with a kitten.” Reluctantly, he handed the little fur ball back to the woman. When he and Eren were married, they could have all the kittens they wanted. 

“I don’t want to let you go,” Eren whimpered, hugging the kitten and kissing its nose. “You’re just a lil baby. You need a family.” 

Eren frowned and sadly handed the kitten back to the woman. “Make sure they go to someone nice, OK?” He asked, taking a step back from the table and grabbing onto Levi’s hand. 

“I promise they’ll be very loved wherever they go,” the woman assured him, placing the grey kitten back into the cage with the black one. 

They went to a few more of the craft tables, Levi buying for Kenny some new fishing lures, a jar of candied bacon and a bottle of Jack Daniel’s that had been turned into a soap dispenser for the bathroom. Eren bought his father a handmade tie and pair of cufflinks. Once they were satisfied they’d seen everything, they walked toward home holding hands. 

Levi may have seen Jean watching them and he might have smirked at him. 

He liked knowing that while Jean was in his bed alone, thinking about Eren, he was in Eren’s room curled up in bed beside him. 

Of course, Levi had become even more zealous about making sure things _stayed_ that way, and the next day after school he made Kenny drive him all around town, looking for Eren’s gift. 

“Won’t he be happy with a video game or something?” Kenny asked while Levi dragged him from store to store. 

“He can get that from _anyone_ ,” Levi pointed out with frustration. “I have to get him something that can only come from me.” 

He knew exactly what he was looking for, and once he found it, he told Kenny that they could go home, much to his uncle’s temporary relief. 

“I need you do a favor for me,” Levi said, clutching the bag tightly in his hand as he strapped on his seatbelt. “And you can’t say no. It’s really important.” 

Kenny glanced at him in the rearview mirror. “What’s that?” 

“I’m going to convince Mr. Jaeger to let me get Eren a kitten and I need you to bring me to the shelter and adopt it for me. I need a grown up, they won’t give it to a kid.” 

“Levi,” Kenny shook his head, rattling off a series of questions in confusion. “Are you sure this is a good idea? What if Eren’s dad doesn’t want a cat? Don’t they have a dog? Where did you get this idea? Did Eren tell you he wanted a kitten or did you just come up with it? He had to have told you, right? You wouldn’t… no, it had to have come from Eren…” 

Levi sighed and rolled his eyes. He was so tired of having to explain every little thing he wanted to do with or for his boyfriend to other people. He wished they would all just get out of his hair. “Last night on Main Street the Feline Happy rescue had kittens and I saw how happy it made Eren and I think he should have one. And Titan sleeps with his dad and he’s too big.” 

“Levi, a kitten is a lot of work,” Kenny reminded him. “And Eren…” 

“Eren wants family. He needs someone that loves him when I’m not there and the kitten would be from me, it would be ours. You don’t understand,” Levi grumbled, crossing his arms. 

“He has a father,” Kenny started, then bit into his lip at his faux pas, earning him a glare from his nephew. “What I mean is, it’s not like he’s… I mean… he has…” 

“When I can’t be with him he is lonely and sad,” Levi said bluntly. “I know exactly how he feels because I feel the same way. I felt it _every day_ before Eren got here. I just want to help him feel better.” 

Levi dropped his head and stared into his lap. The nights when Eren was too sick for him to stay with him were so hard on them both, but he didn’t expect Kenny or Grisha to understand. They thought they were enough, but they weren’t. They didn’t understand the depth of the loneliness the boys felt when they were apart. 

“Levi,” Kenny sighed, rubbing his forehead then glancing back at the forlorn boy. “I’m sorry, OK? If you want, I’ll talk to Eren’s dad for you. Maybe I can convince him that it would be good for Eren.” 

“Really?” Levi asked skeptically, lifting his head and flashing Kenny watery eyes. “You’d do that?” 

“I’ll try,” Kenny promised. “Your heart is in the right place, Levi. I understand where you’re coming from.” 

“Thanks,” Levi said quietly, resting his head against the window and staring outside. 

He hoped that Kenny would be able to work his magic on Mr. Jaeger. He was a heck of a salesman and Levi knew if anyone could sell the idea to Eren’s dad, it would be him. 

And later that night when Levi was in his bedroom doing homework, Kenny came in and gave him the best news ever. 

Grisha had said yes and was going to sign Levi out of school the next day and bring him to the shelter to pick out the kitten they were going to adopt for Eren. Levi could barely believe it, thinking that Kenny being able to convince Grisha was nothing short of a Christmas miracle. He’d thought for sure that he would have to go over to the Jaeger’s and beg him, but Kenny had somehow pulled it off. 

For the first time in as long as Levi could remember, he spontaneously hugged his uncle. He was so grateful, he felt compelled to show it, so he wrapped his arms around the surprised older man’s waist and gave him a tight squeeze. 

“Thank you,” Levi said, his eyes shut as Kenny awkwardly hugged him back, patting him on the back. 

“I know how important Eren is to you,” Kenny told him, letting Levi hang onto him. “And you and your mom are important to me, you know?” 

“I’m sorry you got stuck with me,” Levi mumbled. “I know you didn’t want kids.” 

“I like having you around,” Kenny admitted, ruffling Levi’s hair. “You’re a good kid.” 

“You’re pretty cool, too,” Levi confessed. He hoped it wouldn’t go to Kenny’s head or anything, but he had turned out to be a better friend to Levi than he had ever expected. 

The next day at school, Levi couldn’t stop bouncing his legs at his desk and staring at the clock. He wondered if this was what it felt like to be Eren, filled with excited energy and unable to focus on the mundane details of the school day. When he was finally called down to the office to be picked up, he nearly ran down the halls, getting himself a few disapproving looks from teachers that walked by him. 

He was all smiles when he got opened up the backdoor to Mr. Jaeger’s BMW and saw that he had already gotten a travel cage, litter box, litter, food and bowls for the new kitten. It was really happening and he was so happy knowing how pleased Eren would be. 

It also didn’t hurt that he was going to get to keep the kitten at his house until he gave it to Eren. 

“Mr. Jaeger,” Levi said from the backseat as they drove toward the shelter. “Thank you so much for saying yes to the kitten.” 

“I want Eren to be happy, too,” Grisha said, keeping his eyes on the road. “And he hadn’t stopped talking about kittens since the two of you got back from seeing Santa anyway.” 

“He’s really important to me,” Levi said, his voice dropping a bit. “I really do want to marry him, you know. I’m going to.” 

Grisha’s eyes flicked up to the mirror and he looked at the dark haired boy in his backseat. “Eren would be very lucky to marry someone that cares so much about him,” he answered plainly, looking back to the road to turn down another street. 

“So then, if I asked him, you’d be OK with it?” Levi asked cautiously, eyeing the back of Mr. Jaeger’s head. 

Grisha chuckled and shook his head. “I suppose so. You know you need to be an adult to get married, don’t you?” 

“Yeah,” Levi said with a shrug. “But, that doesn’t mean I can’t ask him before then, does it?” 

“I guess not,” Grisha said, glancing back at the _very_ serious boy in his backseat and pulling into the parking lot of the shelter. 

Levi was thrilled and relieved that the little grey kitten was still there when he arrived. Beaming at the woman that had led them to the cages. 

“I was so worried the one Eren wanted was going to be gone,” Levi exclaimed, taking the kitten into his arms and cuddling him against his chest. 

“Someone called this morning and asked that whatever kitten the cute kid with the big teal eyes wanted be put on hold,” the woman explained, winking at Grisha. 

“Did you do that?” Levi asked, looking up at Grisha appreciatively. 

Grisha nodded. “I thought it would be a good idea.” 

“He’s gonna be so happy,” Levi said with excitement, kissing the mewing kitten’s head. He couldn’t wait to see Eren’s face when he gave him their little baby. 

That night, he was somewhat relieved when Eren didn’t ask him to spend the entire night in his room with him. He felt guilty about leaving the kitten alone, even though Kenny had agreed to ‘baby sit’ for Levi, and he was eager to get back home to the new baby. The kitten was sleeping in Kenny’s lap on the couch when he got home and Levi took him back from his uncle and carried him to his room. The next day was Christmas Eve and he was probably only going to have him at his house for two nights. 

The kitten curled up on Levi’s chest, licking his thumb and holding it between its paws. 

“I’m your dad,” Levi told the sleepy little furball, petting its tiny head. “And I want you to know I’m never going to leave you. Or your daddy. I promise,” he said quietly, listening to the kitten purr contently. “My dad didn’t want me. I don’t even know him. It was really hard for me and my mom. I’m never gonna be like that.” 

Levi looked up at the ceiling, staring at the glow in the dark star stickers Eren have stuck up there some months ago. He was angrier at his father for abandoning his mother than he was for him not wanting him. He knew how scared his mother was when she was dying, that she was leaving Levi alone without a parent, how worried and awful it made her feel during her last few months. She had deserved so much better than that. And even though Kenny had promised he would look after him, Levi knew she felt guilty for it, that having a child was something Kenny had never wanted or asked for. Levi had felt like a burden, like he was ruining his uncle’s life, all because his jerk of a father couldn’t have been bothered to stick around. Because he had run away like a coward when his mother had told him she was pregnant. 

It was hard to hate someone he’d never met. He resented him for the pain he’d caused his mother, but the best he could do was make sure he never turned out like him. And he wouldn’t. He would stay by Eren’s side always, no matter what. Even if things were hard or he was scared. Because just like his mother, Eren deserved it. 

The next morning, Eren was banging on the Ackerman’s front door before Levi was even out of bed. He’d run down the stairs when he heard Eren’s voice after he opened the door, shutting the kitten in his bedroom and filled with worry that something terrible had happened. 

Eren had run to him, wrapping his arms around him tightly and told him that he’d missed him terribly the night before. Levi had glanced over at Kenny with guilt and hugged Eren back, apologizing for not staying even when Eren hadn’t asked him to. 

The Jaegers had family visiting and had invited Kenny and Levi to come over for dinner, knowing that the two of them didn’t have much in the way of nearby family. Both of the Ackerman males had no interest in driving across the state to some aunt’s house for Christmas, neither of them enjoying socializing with the extended family much. Kenny was more than happy to spend the day drinking beer and watching sports and Levi would rather be home with his toys – and this year – close to Eren. 

Kenny wasn’t exactly _thrilled_ to be attending a fancy Christmas Eve dinner with the Jaeger’s extended family, but he had agreed to it for Levi’s sake. There was the promise of good scotch and prime rib and that was enough to get Kenny to look on the bright side of things. 

Levi had put a lot of effort into dressing himself, wanting to make sure he made a good first impression with Eren’s family. He’d selected a blue button up shirt and a solid black tie and black pants for the occasion, then stared at himself in the mirror for an impossibly long time giving himself a silent pep talk on being social and friendly. Even if they were old and grabby. 

Eren was uncharacteristically quiet throughout dinner, even though he was being asked quite a bit about Levi. They sat next to each other and Levi held his hand underneath the table while Eren numbly answered questions about his new friend and school. Normally, Eren would be announcing to anyone that would listen how Levi was his future husband and every detail about his school day, but that night he wasn’t himself and it worried Levi. 

They helped to clear off the table with a couple of Eren’s aunts while the rest of the adults sat and enjoyed after dinner drinks and grown up conversations. Levi had noticed that Eren had gone missing, sometime between bringing a half empty bowl of mashed potatoes back to the kitchen, and Levi began walking around the house looking for him. 

He found the small brunette kneeling in front of the Christmas tree, his head down and his shoulders shaking. Levi could hear the other boy crying, even though it was clear he was doing his best to be quiet, and he felt a stab of pain in his heart. He walked quietly over to his boyfriend and sat down behind him, wrapping his arms around his body and resting his face on his back near his shoulders. 

“I miss her so much,” Eren choked out, his tears falling onto Levi’s arms. “I feel like I don’t have a family anymore. None of it feels the same. What am I supposed to do now?” 

“You’ll always have me,” Levi promised quietly, putting his chin on Eren’s shoulder and his cheek against the other boy’s neck. “You and me, we’ll have our own family. You’re already my family.” 

“You really think so?” Eren sniffled lifting his hands to grab onto Levi’s arms. 

“I know it. I love you,” Levi said quietly, slipping one hand away from Eren and into his pocket. He pulled out the silver ring he’d searched all over for, the band having one black stripe around the center and a tiny cubic zirconia inside of it. He slid it onto Eren’s finger and the brunette froze in his arms. 

“Levi,” he whispered, staring down at his hand with wide, mystified eyes. 

“I’ll get you a better one someday,” Levi said solemnly, moving a bit so he could see Eren’s face. “I just wanted to show you that I’ve meant everything I’ve said. That’s my promise, that I’m not ever going to go anywhere. Not unless you tell me to go away.” 

“I would never…” Eren whispered, looking up from the ring at Levi. “I love you, too.” 

Levi leaned in and kissed Eren, not caring if Grisha walked in and saw them. Eren’s lips were salty and wet with tears, but so soft and pliant against Levi’s. Welcoming and needy. 

When Levi broke the kiss, he leaned his forehead against Eren’s, holding his face gently. “Do you like it?” He asked, grasping Eren’s hand. 

“It’s perfect,” Eren said with a small, dreamy smile. “I didn’t think you’d do something like this.” 

“You deserve to know I’ll always be here,” Levi told him with a serious tone. “Always.” 

Eren gave him a quick kiss and sighed against his lips. “Can I _please_ give you your present now? I don’t think I can wait until tomorrow.” 

Levi nodded and Eren got up and grinned at him, telling him to wait right there while he scampered off to his room. 

“Close your eyes!” Eren demanded from the hallway and Levi obliged, sitting cross legged on the floor in front of the Christmas tree. 

“Now hold out your hands.” 

Levi held out his hands, listening as Eren stepped closer to him. 

“Open them!” Eren said with gleeful excitement as Levi felt something soft and warm placed delicately into his hands. 

Levi opened his eyes and his mouth fell open in surprise. It was the little black kitten he had held a few days earlier. He looked up at Eren, confused, while the kitten grabbed onto his finger and nibbled on it. 

“I told my dad I wanted to get it for you, how happy and _cute_ you looked when you were holding him, he talked to Kenny and Kenny said yes, so, I got to get him for you! Kenny signed my out of school yesterday and took me to the rescue to adopt him for you. Then we went and got lunch together.” 

Levi blinked slowly, his brain processing everything Eren had told him. Eren had left school before he had and went to the rescue with Kenny, just like Grisha had done with him later in the afternoon. No wonder Eren hadn’t wanted him to spend the night, he had been trying to hide the kitten from Levi. 

“I… I can’t believe this,” Levi said quietly, staring at the kitten in his lap. He was shocked that Kenny had gone along with such a thing. Had said he could have a kitten and had helped Eren surprise him, had even taken Eren out of school and out to lunch just so Levi wouldn’t have a clue. 

“I… I’ll be right back,” Levi said, handing the kitten to Eren. 

“Wait… don’t you like him?” Eren asked with confusion, his face falling. 

“I _love_ him,” Levi promised, leaning down to kiss Eren on the cheek. “Just… wait one minute.” 

Eren stared at Levi, completely baffled as Levi darted out the door and ran across the street as fast as his legs would carry him. He went to his room and grabbed the sleeping grey kitty from his bed and carried him carefully back to the Jaeger’s, making the confused and concerned brunette’s face light up when he stepped back into the living room. 

“My baby!” Eren squealed, holding out his hands for the grey kitten, his eyes sparkling with joy. 

Levi handed him the kitten and kissed him, sitting down beside him so that the brothers could get reacquainted in Eren’s lap and crawl back and forth between them. 

“I can’t believe you did this,” Eren exclaimed, petting both of the kittens. 

“I can’t believe _you_ did,” Levi laughed. “I had no idea…” 

“Neither did I!” Eren smiled at him, his eyes soft. 

“I wanted to make a family with you,” Levi said quietly, taking Eren’s hand into his and giving it a squeeze. “I want you to be happy.” 

“You make me happier than anything, ever,” Eren said, leaning against him and resting his head on his shoulder. “You came into my life right when I needed you the most. You’re my soul mate. It was all supposed to happen this way. It was all so we’d find each other.” 

Levi rested his cheek against Eren’s hair and watched his little black kitten give his brother kisses in Eren’s lap. He’d never believed in things being meant to be, in fate, until the boy with those beautiful teal eyes had turned up in his uncle’s yard. But, he was certain now that they were meant for each other. That they were each what the other needed to find happiness, family and love again after suffering such terrible heartache. 

“I love you more than anything,” Levi whispered into Eren’s hair. “And I’ll never stop.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for sticking with me through Ereri Week!
> 
> This story is going to be continued, but the updates will be approximately once a week now instead of daily so I can get back to updating A Matter of Perspective.
> 
> <3

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I apologize (kind of) for the bad puns. Blame Levi. He learned it from corny uncle Kenny.
> 
> Feel free to follow me and hit me up anytime here: http://leviheichouackerman.tumblr.com/
> 
> If you like my writing, please check out my more substantial Ereri fic, A Matter of Perspective, here: http://archiveofourown.org/works/3330047/chapters/7280663
> 
> Please check out the absolutely AMAZING and ADORABLE fanart saltedclarity. It is so beautiful <3 http://saltedclarity.tumblr.com/post/120582710853/it-wasnt-right-and-it-wasnt-fair-day-1


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